Batman Beyond: Nephilim Rising
by Sapphos-Daughter
Summary: Splicing didn't die out, it just took on a different form. This time, there is no going back. OC/OC, Max/OC, Terry/OC with possible one-sided Terry/Max in later chapters
1. Behind those eyes, a broken heart

Author's note: Thank you once again Inu-midoriko for pulling my tail out of the fire. I hope that this story will be another wonderful journey in our partnership! You are my _best _friend and I don't know what I'd do without you around. I hope that everyone enjoys this story and please feel free to review it!

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It felt like knives were stabbing into the soles of her feet as she obeyed the gym teacher and struggled to do at least one lap around the track so that the teacher couldn't accuse her of using her handicap as an excuse to slack off. Even though it was slightly nippy that morning, the dark brown-haired young woman was panting and sweating as though it was hot out. Because she was wearing shorts, her stick-like blue tinged legs were on display for everyone to see. She was so focused on what she was doing, she didn't seem to notice or care that the other students in the class were literally running rings around her.

"Pick up the pace or you'll trip someone." mocked a tall seventeen year old. He had been one of the better runners of the class and was passing the girl without any trouble at all. He had the nerve to slow to her pace. "Come on, you can push a little faster." he glared at her, already knowing she was unable to go any faster than the pace she was pushing. "Don't think you're getting special treatment."

Resting all her weight on her right side, she only smiled slightly and let her left crutch stick out a little more. "I'd like to see you eat the earth you prince of dirt." She said in between pants as she braced herself for impact.

The male teen chuckled at her. "That would be the day. However, that spot on the ground happens to be reserved for you. Have fun chewing dirt 'road runner'."

Not wasting her breath to answer, the smaller young woman just pushed ahead as best she could, her light brown eyes staring straight ahead. She seemed assured that he would get what was coming to him.

"Heh," was all he said and passed her, knocking slightly into her shoulder knowing it would through her off balance slightly. He knew it was cruel, but being like this and seeing others suffer gave him a sense of satisfaction.

Arianna knew there was nothing she could do to stop her fall. However, she made sure she didn't go down alone, thrusting her crutch directly in his path even as her leg painfully crumbled beneath her.

The black haired teen gasped and caught himself on the palm of his hands. His hands made a slapping sound on the ground and he grunted in pain. The teen sat up and examined the damage. They were scrapped and stinging like a thousand needles but over all, except for his hands and pride, he was fine. He glared over at the fallen girl. "You goddamn klutz. You'll pay for that one."

"Chaos! Angel! Get up and keep running!" called the teacher, oblivious to the damage that Arianna might have suffered.

Chaos however, got up and ignored the fallen girl, struggling to get back up. He took off, determined to run laps around her until the teacher said stop.

Hissing softly in pain, the girl tested her foot carefully, ignoring the feel of blood as she reached for her crutches and wearily attempted to stand. Biting back a sob, she hobbled on her way, still having half a lap to go…

Once the second period bell rang for it to be over, Terry McGinnis sighed with great relief. It's not like he hated chemistry or anything, he just hated the people he was forced to be partnered with. His current partner was a slacker, a person who literally did nothing during class, tests or projects. It was a wonder he passed at all. He sighed as he made his way down the hall, heading for his locker to grab his lunch and find a quiet place outside to eat. He wished Dana could eat with him but she was taking extra help lessons in math class during their lunch so he was left to eat alone as all his other friends had the fifth period lunch. Sometimes it was annoying but other times like these, he didn't mind so much because he could just sit alone and think.

Arianna sat at an abandoned table eating something from a plastic tub, an open brown paper bag beside her. She ate mechanically, and didn't seem to really be enjoying her meal. The brown-haired girl also seemed distracted by a small embroidery hoop. Her feet ached, but she was grateful for the chance to sit down and rest. Keeping her head bowed, her attention looked solely on the patterns that were blooming on the cloth, only eating a bite when her stomach gave a grumble of impatience. Anyone looking at her had the impression that everyone in the room could disappear and she would never notice.

Terry grabbed his lunch from his locker and headed outside, intent on sitting under a tree to eat in the shade but when he looked around the tables; he noticed a girl sitting alone and couldn't help but feel for her. She must have been new because he had never seen her before and he would have recognized her from seeing her in the halls a few times throughout the years. He knew how hard it was to be at a school and know no one.

Taking a deep breath, he strode over to her table. "Can I sit with you?" he asked and gave her a polite smile.

Light brown eyes looked at Terry in surprise followed by a shy smile of welcome. "Yes you may." She replied politely, carefully poking her needle through the cloth to hold it in place. "I would... welcome... the company."

Terry grinned at her. "I know what you mean. It's hard coming to a new school and knowing nobody." he hadn't planned on talking at all during his lunch much less making a new friend but he supposed it was alright. He had nothing better to do and it'd be good if he more female friends. It could help him with understanding why Dana was so moody all the time.

"Today's my second day... and if anything it was worse than yesterday." She sighed and took a bite. "My name is Angel."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Terry. Terry McGinnis." he grinned and took out a coke and sandwich. "Why did you decide to come here? Where were you living before?" he asked, trying to make conversation.

Her heart started beating very fast, and now more than ever, she was grateful that she had dyed her hair and used colored contacts. If he knew who she really was Arianna had no question that she'd be in very big trouble right now! "Across town, my mother died recently and I had to move." She shook her head. "It's a long story." It was the truth, but not the whole truth. Arianna wouldn't stoop to lying, but that didn't mean that she had to put herself in danger by telling her story to the very _last_ person on earth that she trusted either.

Terry raised an eyebrow and decided to push it a little further. They had a whole thirty minutes left so there was plenty of time for story telling. "We've got time." he grinned.

Mentally kicking herself for giving him the opening, Arianna toyed with her food. "She was murdered. I went to the store to get something for dinner and when I got home... I packed what I could and left after calling the cops."

Terry's eyebrows rose at that. He instantly regretted having pried further. "I'm sorry." he said softly. He changed the topic, not wanting to dwell on something that she must surely find painful to remember. "Do you have any siblings?"

"No, I'm an only child. Mother took me in and raised me as her own." Arianna replied. "She was the only one I was really close to; the rest of the family was nice to my face but..."

Terry nodded, understanding what she meant. It was funny; he had an adopted cousin that was kind of the black sheep of the family. He shook his head; she looked completely different from his cousin. He remembered he had a nickname for her. He recalled it being 'Tag-a-long' because every family reunion they had she would always follow him like a dog. This girl in front of him was different though. She was too independent to be her.

"Things happened, when mother finally found out what was going on, she pitched a huge fit and we basically turned our backs on the family at that point. It turned out she was only tolerating them for my sake so I wouldn't be lonely."

Terry was finding this odd. Very odd. "Really? How old were you when that happened? You must have been young."

"I had just turned thirteen, it was my birthday." She laughed bitterly. "Some birthday present that turned out to be." Shaking her head, she chewed a bite and swallowed it before continuing. "I had a cousin that I worshipped, he was the only reason I even bothered going to those family gatherings. I thought he was so cool, and he was very nice to me. Granted, he always seemed to lose my address and my phone number but being so young, I thought he was just busy in school since he knew so many people. He had a nickname for me, but he always said it with a smile so I never felt offended by it, though I would have run over anyone else that called me that. I was old enough to know he had an image to deal with, so I thought of it as a way he could stay 'cool' and be my friend at the same time. True, he never acted warm towards me, but until that day I never knew I was nothing to him but dirt on his shoes."

Terry stopped eating, his face suddenly turning white. He acted exactly like that. She was describing everything he had done and how she had reacted to him doing it. She knew who he was, which meant she thought either he would have forgotten or she was purposely doing it to make him turn away from her so he wouldn't ask questions. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he took another bite of his sandwich and put on the Batman facade. "What happened exactly? How do you know he didn't secretly care?"

"Well, I overheard him talking to his friends outside the house. He didn't know I was listening because I was bringing him something to eat like he'd asked me to do. The girl asked him what took him so long and he said 'I had to ditch the tagalong cripple first, she wouldn't shut up.' and they were all laughing, as if what he said was the funniest thing they had ever heard. The word cripple was a blow to my heart, it was the worse thing someone had ever called me. Hell, I'd never been called that before! I just slipped back inside, found mom and we left. He must have been glad that I never bothered him again."

After a minute of chewing, the girl swallowed with a thoughtful expression on her gentle face. "My mother said that in a strange way my ex-cousin did me a favor. He showed me that there are two kinds of bullies in the world: the ones that are honest about who and what they are, and the ones that will wear the face of a friend but still smile at you when they tear your heart out of your chest." Suddenly a soft smile that defined the word 'evil' bloomed on her lips. "The best part is that the fool will never know what his actions will cost him. My mother had been saving up to give him entrance into the Gotham City medical insitute when he graduted from high school since he had said that he wanted to be a physician. Needless to say, that surprise vanished and mother spent the money on me instead."

Anger and guilt coursed through Terry but if he stopped to think about it, he had no one else to blame but himself. There was no doubt now that this girl was his cousin. He had never thought twice about the face he randomly stopped hearing about her but now he knew who she was and why he hadn't heard from her. He would admit he was a jerk of a kid but he was different now. He was Batman, he had a girlfriend, and he was trying so very hard to make up for his bad boy ways. He had to prove to her that he wasn't the same boy as she remembered.

Taking a deep breath, he smiled at her. "You wanna take a small walk?"

The girl looked puzzled for a moment, then she shrugged, and stuffed the remains of her lunch in her bag. "All right." She said quietly, getting to her feet with a slight wince of pain.

Terry threw out the rest of his sandwich and waited until she had her bearings to lead her to a tree outside, away from the other students so they were alone, he didn't say anything as he helped her sit down and then sat beside her. "You know, many people that knew me as a kid don't think I've changed. I was a troublemaker, an asshole, as you might say. I didn't appreciate the things that were given to me or the people that had come into my life. I soon finally realized, 'what the hell am I doing? I'm only hurting other people as well as myself'. It was after a tragic incident that I finally learned that I had to change. To help others if I was to ever redeem myself from my past sins. If I was to ever be respected the way Bruce Wayne is respected by many. Now that I look on what I've done, I'm not proud. I wish I could go back and make up for it, but what's in the past is in the past. I can't change that. I can, however, help change Gotham, I can help change other people. I can help myself be a better person than I was before, than I am now."

Arianna narrowed her light brown eyes and rubbed her sore wrists. "I should have kept my mouth shut, damnit." Then she sighed. "All right Terry, what do you want this time?" Her voice sounded tired.

Terry grinned softly at her. "Always the one to stick your hand in the cookie jar and get caught huh? What I want is simple. I want you to tell my why you're hiding from me, from your family. You didn't honestly think that'd I'd still be an immature little jerk did you?" he asked, his eyes softening.

Tears filled her eyes. "I don't have a choice. Splicing is outlawed now. That... perverted jerk... Doctor Able Cuvier ruined everything. The police are too busy looking for me, they don't care my mom is dead."

Terry's eyes widened. "You've been spliced?!"

She didn't look ashamed at all, she looked proud. "Yes I've been spliced; you just can see it right now." After a tense minute of meeting the leashed fury in his eyes, her lips tightened and her voice turned firm. "No, I won't show you."

Terry didn't at all look approving but he sighed. "You're still my cousin. No matter what happened in the past," he urged.

"I don't want you involved Terry, the less people know, the better. Besides, I have enough on my plate trying to stay out of batman's sight; he's too damn chummy with the police..." Worry shadowed her eyes for a minute. "Still, I doubt he'd recognize me anyway." Then a smile quirked her lips. "The dye washes out easily."

Terry's face scrunched up. "Come on, I already know. I'm not going to rat you out and besides, the Batman you know has retired. There's a new guy subbing for him."

She took a deep breath. "Gotham has an angel now as well as a batman, and I doubt Batman likes to share."

Terry raised an eyebrow. "An angel?"

"Yes." She eyed him steadily, waiting for the information to click in his brain.

When the realization of what she was saying kicked in, Terry's eyes widened to saucers. "You spliced with a bird?!' he hissed, keeping his voice down so no passersby would hear them.

Arianna beamed at her cousin, she looked amused. "Ding."

Knowing that there was nothing he could do about it, but also knowing there was no way in hell he'd rat on his cousin, he sat back and sighed. After a few moments of silence he asked, "What's it like?"

"It's absolute freedom Terry. I am the example of what my mother meant splicing to be. When I'm in the sky... I don't have limits. The takeoff's a little shaky, but once I'm in the air..." Arianna's expression turned dreamy.

Terry smiled. "Well I'm happy that you're finally happy. Are you living far from here?"

"Two hours walk, but it takes me longer." Arianna admitted. "And since I had to leave my chair behind..."

"My door is always open for you but as you know, mom would ask questions and all that fun stuff. I know a place not too far from here that a buddy of mine owns. If I talked to him I'm sure he wouldn't mind lending it to you as long as you didn't trash it up."

"How much is it?" She was not telling Terry she was living in the ghetto, she knew he'd kill her. Arianna was also _not_ telling him that she was living a hand-to-mouth existence right now, or that she'd been eating the same meal twice a day for the past three days...

"I can get you in it for free. Trust me, he's got enough money to last him the rest of his days." he said and stood.

His cousin also stood, hissing softly in pain. "Is it far?" She asked, shifting her weight to ease the pain as much as she could. "Are you in contact with batman? Or are you just a fan?"

Terry raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm a fan at all? For all you know I could hate what he does." he replied. "And no it's not far. It's about a five minute walk for me, about ten for you. But that's alright considering the two hours you have now."

Arianna limped at his side after shifting her school bag into a more comfortable position. "I'm asking because I don't know him, and at the moment, he is a threat to me." She replied between pants of pain.

Terry slowed down and looked at his watch. They had ten minutes to get to their lockers and to class. At the pace they were going, they would get nowhere. "Hop on my back, we'll get to class on time if you do."

It was a measure of how drained she was that she didn't protest. "First time... you ever offered... to help me." She managed, wrapping her arms around his neck, and her cheek against his shoulder.

Terry smiled. "I told you, I'm different now Angel." he said and made sure she was secure and then grabbed her crutches in one hand and his books in the other. "As for Batman, I do know him. We've encountered each other a few times actually. He'll understand the situation you're in, trust me. I'll have him watch out for you."

"As long as he doesn't stop me from doing what I need to do or help the police catch me, I am content." Her small legs wrapped around Terry's waist in a strong grip to support herself. "I can't have him play nursemaid to me when he has more important things to do. I'll get by somehow; I just need time to get myself together…"

The older of the two gave the young teen an incredulous look. "Arianna, I know this guy. He may be working with the police but when it comes to doing friends favors, he won't turn his back on them. You can trust him as much as you trust me not to drop you flat on your butt. And he's not going to play nursemaid. He's going to check up on you sometime during the night when I can't. It's just a quick peek through the window. Don't worry."

"Watch it." She hissed, narrowing her eyes at her human carry-chair. "My name isn't Arianna here." Terry could feel her joints pop when she shifted slightly. "You've got company, and she looks pissed…"

"Hm?" he asked and turned to face ahead of him. He almost, almost regretted it. Dana had her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed over her chest. "Hey Dana," he said with a smile. "What's up?"

"What's up? I looked for you everywhere! Who is she?" she asked, her glare shifting to the small teen on his back.

Arianna smiled shyly. "Terry offered me help because my feet are a mess and I got lost earlier." Then she tapped Terry on the head. "You can put me down now Terry, I think I can manage now."

"But your class is by my locker. I can carry you there. You coming Dana?" he asked, pretending not to notice how pissed she was.

"Ya I'm coming." she huffed and looked in the other direction.

Arianna craned her head so that Terry could see her raised eyebrow, silently asking how he knew that, but didn't protest. "Thank you Terry, I don't want to miss home economics... the teacher doesn't like me already."

The dark haired teen nodded and then turned some of his attention to his angry girlfriend. "Did you learn anything?"

"I learned enough."

"Why are you so angry?"

"Because you never have time for me anymore. You're always running errands for Bruce Wayne, always getting in some sort of trouble and it takes away from us being together. And now I find you spending time with someone else."

"But Dana we're going out after school before I see Mr. Wayne."

"You know what, forget it. When you have more time for me, call me and we'll go out. I'm tired of being second best, the second thing you think of." with that she stormed to her next class.

"But Dana-!" it was too late; she had already turned a corner. He sighed. This was yet another thing to put on his list of obtaining redemption. "What did I do this time?"

"I think she was mad because of me... maybe I should..." Arianna sounded guilty. "The fact that I have my legs around your waist for balance doesn't really help either..."

Terry looked shocked that Dana would think something of him helping his cousin. "Really? But we're cousins."

"She doesn't know I'm your cousin because I look different now. Besides, she's never met me before in any case, remember?"

Terry heaved a big sigh. "What do I do? I'm out of excuses for her."

Arianna sighed. "Maybe it's better if you don't hang around me Terry. That way she can't accuse you of cheating on her with me. I think that it would be a start."

Terry frowned. "Now what kind of cousin would I be if I did that?" he turned the corner to his locker where her class also was. "She'll get over it."

The fragile girl relaxed her legs and slipped to the floor with an ease that felt almost reckless, but Terry could feel her flinch when her feet hit the floor. "Thanks again for the piggyback ride. I hope I wasn't too heavy for you." As she spoke, she fitted her tender wrists back into her crutches.

"If anything you need to gain more weight. In any case, since Dana cancelled with me tonight, I'll give you a ride home. It'll let me give Batman detailed directions to your home."

"I'm heavy enough, I'd like to shed some pounds actually, but that's beside the point." She eyed him warily. "If you drive me back to my place, you can't get pissy. Agreed?"

Terry raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Alright, I promise not to say anything. But that doesn't mean I won't be pissed."

She nodded in return, and limped away, ignoring the loud crack in her knee and her swinging rear end.

After school had ended Terry waited for Arianna by her class since she was last to get out. "You need to go to your locker?"

"Yes, I need to get my homework and the rest of my sewing things." Arianna said calmly, shifting the already heavy bag on her back. "It will not take long."

Terry nodded and stuck his hand out to her. "I'll take your bag." he said. It would be faster for them if he took the heavy things as it would only slow her down.

Another surprised look flashed across her face, but she allowed Terry to take her back from her anyway. "Thank you. Please be careful, it's really heavy. I've had... problems... with my locker, so I've just carried everything in my bag today."

He took the bag and swung it around his back. It was heavy but it was alright for him. He was surprised though, that she was able to carry something this heavy. "It amuses me when you look so surprised." he grinned

"Not used to you following me instead of the reverse." She grinned back as she led the way to her locker then carefully propped one crutch against the locker next to hers so she could brace herself to fiddle with the lock. "I _hate_ these things..." Arianna muttered darkly as she concentrated. It took five tries, and two very nasty words, before she finally got it open.

Terry put her things in her bag and took out the ones she didn't need. It was an improvement but it was still heavy. "I'll come get you tomorrow morning too. By that time I should have an answer on the place near here." He said.

Silently taking the books, she piled them in her locker, but had to balance on her toes to get to the ones in back. Once Terry had them, she took out a beautifully embroidered carry-bag as well as a stunningly beautiful sky blue coat that fit her small body like a glove when she shrugged into it before shutting her locker. "Okay, all set."

"Aunty give you those before she passed?" he asked and led the way to his car. He passed Dana and waved bye to her but she turned the other way, ignoring him.

"No. I made them myself," Arianna replied with a smirk, "Every single bit." As far as she knew, Terry didn't know that she made her own clothes when given the choice to do so.

"They're very nice," he said and tried not to let Dana's mood get the best of him. He opened the car door for her and made sure she was in before closing the door and rounding to the driver's side.

Arianna made sure she was buckled in right and that her crutches were in easy reach. "Thank you. I live at Pennyless Apartment at Arrow and Corner Street." She smiled at him, but she knew he would be pissed off.

Terry paused, his eyes narrowing. He knew that street. It was the same streets the Jokerz liked to play pranks in. He promised not to say anything so he didn't, but the look he gave her made it clear he was beyond angry to hear she was living in the most ghetto part of Gotham.

"I didn't have enough credits to find someplace better Terry; I had to travel light when I left." She said softly as she flinched and sunk deeper into the seat of Terry's car.

Terry sighed and started down the street toward Arrow and Corner St. He drove fast so that he wouldn't be late going to Mr. Wayne's. "So, aside from all that's happened, how have you been?"

"I've been okay. I love making my own clothes and cooking things. I even made clothes for mother... though she didn't like it when I made her model for me in the process." She took a deep slow breath. "She let me help her in the home lab too."

"That's cool. Do you miss her?"

"So much... she was all I had besides my pets... I hope they are okay wherever they are now." Arianna bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. "Mom was the one who helped me with the gardens and helped me get the raw things I needed to make my own clothes... uncarded wool and the plants I needed to grow my own dyes." With a hard swallow, she added softly. "I still don't know what I'll do now... she had no plans as far as I know..."

Terry nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I miss my pop too." he was silent for a moment. "Well, if you want, we can make up for missed time and be like a family again. You don't have to come home and confront mom if you don't want but it's nice to know you still have some family to look out for you."

"You used to think I was boring Terry." She protested, even as her eyes lit up with hope. "And you could get in trouble because of me." Then the light in her eyes faded, and you could almost see her taking some sense into herself and shoving her hopes in the back of her mind again.

"Oh please, do you really think I paid attention to what you were saying? I was bored because you were saying stuff that I didn't want to listen to. Besides, I'm sure you could make a mean dinner." he winked and grinned at her. "I'd like to get to know the old and new Arianna if she would like to get to know the new Terry."

She smiled back, for a minute looking like the sweet child he vaguely remembered. "Okay. Do you think Batman will like me too?" Arianna frowned at Terry. "I don't want him to feel like..."

"I know he will. He's a lot like me in some ways… The new me, I mean."

"Can you tell him that I'll keep the balcony door open for him? That way he can come right in."

"Sure." he soon pulled up in front of her building and parked. He helped Arianna out of the car and helped her into her apartment. It was small, big enough for one but it was what got her through the days. Which were going to change as of tomorrow morning, if he got his way. "You might want to start packing up your things tonight. I know my boss will be okay with you moving into one of his houses but I just have to let him know and ask anyways. Out of courtesy."

For an answer, Arianna just pointed to the large duffle bag next to the sofa that also served as her bed. "I already am." Then she limped over to the sink, picked up one of the peeled sticks and poked at the contents in the sink. "Drat... still not right..." She muttered as she used the stick to lift a hank of pink yarn from the sink with a frown. Still frowning, she shook her head. "Although... maybe I could... baby clothes..."

"What are you doing?" asked Terry, setting her things down next to the sofa and walking over to her to view the pink yarn she took out from the sink.

"I'm dying some yarn, but the color's not right. I should have boiled it, but I don't trust the store bought dyes." She sighed, carefully lowered the yarn back into the red water and stirred it.

"Why don't you just buy your clothes? Or get yarn from the store?"

"Clothes that I buy from the store don't always fit right, and they cost a lot to boot. I like making my own clothes because they fit and feel better. And as far as buying yarn goes... who knows how they did it and if it's good quality." She shrugged. "Besides, it's fun."

"Well as long as you like it." he was about to saying something else but his phone rang. "Hello? I understand. I'll be right there." he hung up soon after. "Sorry I gotta go. Mr. Wayne needs me." he said turned to leave. "I'll be here at seven thirty."

"Okay, thanks for driving me here Terry. I hope you do well at work." She smiled as she limped over to the door like a polite hostess would do.

Terry grinned. "Thanks. I know he sometimes seems hard assed but he's not a bad person. He's kinda cool." he commented. "Anyway, good luck with your yarn."

"Watch your language." She reproved, but smiled anyway before shutting the door.

A half an hour later, Bruce Wayne raised an eyebrow as his protégée came down the stairs. "Your late Terry." He said coolly. "I trust you had a reason?"

"I was seeing my cousin home. She lives on Arrow and Corner St. I can't say I like the place but that's why I need to talk to you. I know you have a house near both my school and my house. She also attends the same school but she's has a physical disability. She can't walk without crutches to support her so it takes her double the time to walk to school. I was wondering if it would be alright if you lent the place out to her."

Bruce looked at Terry. "I assume you'll be paying her rent privately from your pay?" He asked with a ghost of a smile.

Terry nodded. "Of course."

Still smiling, Bruce tossed a folder to him. "I assume you have a good reason for protecting her from the police?" He added mildly.

"She's my cousin. You'd do the same."

"Terry, her mother was the real head of the whole splicing mess. The police have reason to believe she knows something about why her mother was killed, not to mention that there is a strong possibility that she's been spliced herself, which you and I both know is illegal now."

"Yeah I know but come on, if you saw her you'd let this one slide as well. She doesn't use her animal side and if she did it'd be because her life is in danger. Please Mr. Wayne..."

"Do you even know what she was spilced with and where? And do you really love her that much?" Bruce asked quietly.

"Some bird. She told me she has wings. As for loving her... I'm not sure. We haven't seen each other in years and when we did I was still a 'bad seed' I never cared for her that much but now, I dunno, it's like because she's my cousin, I want to help her."

"Are you trying to make amends then with her?"

"Yeah I guess you could say that. I don't want her to remember me as the jerk that called her a crippled tag-a-long."

"You called her a WHAT?! I'm surprised she didn't kick you where the sun didn't shine and cuss you out... she must have really tight self-control..." Bruce mused in silence. "Watch her like a hawk Mcginnis."

Terry rolled his eyes. "No kidding. However if you let her have the house near my place it won't be so hard to keep an eye on her. I've already told her Batman was going to visit her tonight. Please Mr. Wayne. It's only for a couple years. Just until she gets on her feet..."

"All right, she can have the place for as long at she wants it Terry. However if she gets herself caught, you are _not_ to interfere, understand?"

It took Terry a moment to answer but he nodded. "Understood. Thank you."

"Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment either. Now suit up. You are going to have a long night tonight." Bruce had already swung around to face the large computer against the wall.

"Yes sir." was all Terry said before he did as he'd been instructed and put on his suit.


	2. Uneasy Meetings, unwelcome partnership

Author's note: Thank you Inu-midoriko for all your help, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed the first chapter. I hope that this chapter was worth the wait. If you would like to read up on which works are in progress and on future updates, please check out my website's blog. I will reply to all comments you post.

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Feeling better now that she had washed the dye from her hair, Arianna sat on the couch and braided her honey-brown hair into a thick tail. She was wearing a white top that left her back bare with matching pants. Behind thick black glasses, her eyes looked bloodshot. One eye was blue, and the other a dark green, which explained why she'd been wearing contacts all day. Hearing someone knock politely on the balcony door, she smiled slightly. "It's open!" Arianna called.

Batman opened the door once he heard her call out to him. He silently shut it and looked around the apartment before coming over to her. "Quite the place you've got."

She shrugged one shoulder. "It's enough for now. No one would think of looking for me here, and nobody asks questions as long as the rent is paid." Arianna's lips tightened as she finished braiding her hair.

"Since you put it that way..." he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "McGinnis told me you're a relative of his and to keep an eye on you."

"How long did the two of you argue about it?" She asked, opening the medical kit sitting next to her to tend to her feet. Taking off her shoes, she slipped off the sock of her right foot and began to unwind the bloody bandage from around it.

"We didn't. I cautioned him, as did Mr. Wayne but I agreed to it. I pass by here often anyway so it's not like I'm going out of my way to check up on you," he said and frowned at the blood. "Shouldn't you see a doctor about that?"

Arianna just looked at him for a long moment before returning her attention back to her foot. "It looks worse than it really is." Taking a packet from the box, she tore it open and used the wipe to clean the bottom of her foot. She didn't seem at all bothered by the blood.

"It might get infected. What did you do to it?"

"I didn't have my braces on, and the shoes are too big without them. Not to mention that I had to go a lap on the track this morning..." Arianna hissed sharply, eyeing her foot. "Damn..."

"Do you have any gauze?"

"Yeah, but I need to treat it first. Never thought I'd be grateful for being a klutz..." She turned her head and rummaged in her kit. "I'm running low on the acid crap... shoot." Holding her foot in place with her right hand, she eyed the half-full bottle she held in her hand.

"I'll let McGinnis know you need more. In any case, I see you're fine. Oh, by the way, Bruce Wayne's letting you use his house near the school. Your cousin wanted me to let you know."

"He's fussing over me; it must be a guilty conscience." She ripped another wipe packet open and her face turned white when she splashed some of the contents on her foot before rubbing it in, ignoring the way her foot jerked or the way her sleek white wings seemed to explode from her back in a silent involuntary reaction to the pain.

"She has beautiful wings." Bruce told Terry though the intercom, unheard by the girl on the couch.

'They're alright. Don't encourage it. The last thing I need is my boss complimenting my cousin on her momentary stupidity.' he muttered back, low enough so she wouldn't hear. "You shouldn't go to school with feet like that. How do you expect them to heal if you're giving them no time to heal?"

"I don't have a choice, I'll have to risk flying home and sweeping the place. Damn... this wasn't in my plans for tonight." She hissed in pain and gripped her foot tighter to finish medicating her foot. "How much blood did I loose today...?" Arianna murmured absently to herself.

Batman leaned off the wall at that. "If you don't want to be found out, you're not going to use your wings." he stated firmly. "As for your foot, you need medical assistance. I don't care how much you scream and punch, I'm getting someone to look at your foot." 'Hey Mr. Wayne, can you stitch/heal a bleeding foot?'

"It doesn't look cut. It looks like the skin has been rubbed off the bottom of her feet. She should keep it well wrapped and medicated, and she shouldn't be running laps on the track either..." Bruce said calmly.

'How about you come down here and tell her that? She'd listen to you considering you're lending her one of your homes.'

"You're the one who stuck my tail in the fire; she's your cousin, so you deal with it." Bruce replied calmly. It was at times like this that Bruce loved pulling rank on Terry!

Batman sighed. 'Fine. I'll deal with it.'

Arianna finished with her feet and had slipped on a pair of soft but warm looking slippers while he wasn't paying attention. "I won't be long batman." She said, cupping her wings slightly for balance as she walked slowly to the sliding glass door.

"Hey, I said no flying. You're doing nothing but screaming for attention like that." he said and embraced her from behind. It wasn't hard to keep her still as he was a lot bigger than she was.

The girl froze. "I'll be careful batman, but I need to go home one more time before those dumb police gut my house." She sighed. "There are things I need to get before they do." Her wings felt soft against him. "I know it sounds really petty, but I just want to go back to my home territory… and I don't want the police mucking around with and possibly ruining my work!"

He stayed silent for a moment. "You have an hour." Batman released her and gave her a serious look. "I'm serious. One hour and that's all or I'm telling McGinnis you were out flying."

She nodded and turned back to the couch, recklessly spilling the contents of both her school bag and her duffel bag, not caring about the mess as she made her way to the back door and slid it open. Only now could batman see the slight trickle of blood that ran down her back under both wing joints,

"You bleed far too much." he grumbled.

Shifting her grip on both bags, she climbed the fire escape to the very top and jumped, or more accurately, plummeted off the side of the building. She opened her wings and soared away.

"Now that is scary..." Bruce murmured. "Does she have any fear in her at all?"

"Who knows?" he shrugged and soared away just as Arianna had but he went in the opposite direction.

"I take it you'll be back in an hour?" He asked. "She doesn't seem the type to scare easily."

"That's the plan." he replied.

"Do you think she'll listen to you?"

"Me or Terry?'

"Both of you." Bruce grinned unseen.

"She's got a mind of her own. If she wants to listen to me she will. Other than that I can only pretend I have authority over her."

"I think you both know you have none. This will be very interesting..." Bruce chuckled. "She sounds worse than you will ever be."

"Who's side are you on?" he asked defensively.

"I'm just saying that you'd better keep an eye on her, her middle name should be trouble Terry."

An hour later, Arianna landed on her balcony again. She was breathing hard with the effort of flying while carrying such a heavy load, one of which was a gift basket. Brushing the tears away with her shoulder, she opened the door and limped inside.

"Glad to see that you can listen." said Batman from the shadows of the room.

"I almost didn't, since I almost had to make two trips." She cupped her wings and tossed the two stuffed bags on her couch, but placed the gift basket on the ugly counter with an almost affectionate smile.

"You're lucky you did." he remarked. "Try to get some sleep. It's going to be a long day for you tomorrow."

"I will later." Arianna answered calmly, making her way over to the fridge and opening it.

"I don't understand girls." he sighed and walked over to her stuff. "Did you grab everything you need?"

Taking out a half-eaten vegetable beef pie, she put it on the counter and turned back to get a plate. "I saved everything that I could save given the time limit... It was too late to salvage much of my mom's things, and the pets were gone, but I did what I could."

"And you didn't leave a trace behind?"

In answer, Arianna looked up from the slice of pie she was cutting for dinner and glared at him. "I'm not molting yet batman." The tone she used was a warning that an apology had better be forthcoming.

"I'm just making sure." he replied. "You can never be too careful."

"Those who know me won't betray me." A smile hovered on her lips as she plucked an apple from the basket. "They haven't forgotten me in my own territory."

"Who's they?"

"The ones I have helped and tried to protect."

"I see." was all he said. He wasn't going to pry into her life anymore. After all, this was only their first encounter. "Well I better get going. Enjoy the rest of your night Miss Arianna." he said and jumped out the window. He took off as soon as he opened his arms for his wings to come out.

"Have a peaceful night batman. Perhaps someday I'll take you into my territory." She answered calmly, punching a button on the microwave. Seeing he was gone, she smiled to herself and returned to her own concerns.

In the batcave, Bruce rested his head on his hands. "That was very interesting." He stated calmly.

"If you say so," he said passively, taking off his hood.

"Still, I'll know more once I see her mood swings. She might not be as violent as the others who were spliced, but that talk of 'territory' disturbed me a little." Bruce frowned. "What do you think?"

"I didn't like it either. If she wanted, she could turn psycho with that attitude." Terry shook his head. "In any case, she needs our help."

The next day, even though Arianna had to be in great pain, she walked more confidently. The support of her braces really seemed to help. Blinking against the itch of her contacts, she shuffled her way out of the school to find a place to eat her lunch, giving the popular kids a wide berth to stay out of the way. Seeing Dana and her friends glaring at her, Arianna sighed inwardly and just pretended to ignore them as she made her way outside.

Lunch came fast for Terry. Many things had been on his mind, making each class go by faster than he thought it would. He dropped off his books, grabbed his new ones as well as his lunch, and made his way outside to meet his cousin. When he saw Arianna he grinned at her. They didn't interact much in the car that morning. Terry was never a morning person and Arianna was too tired from last night's escapade to keep up a conversation. "Hey." he greeted her.

"Hi Terry. How's your day so far? You and Dana make up yet?" She asked, taking a bite of her pie.

"It's alright. No, she's still raving mad at me." he sighed. "Sometimes having to keep secrets is a real pain."

"Did you get all your homework done?" Arianna asked after she swallowed.

"I got most of it completed. It wasn't a lot. I was far too tired." he confessed. He winced when he brushed his bruised arm against the table.

"I got mine done." She smiled. "It helps that most of the classes I'm taking are ones I've already taken."

Terry grinned at her. "That's good. How's the sewing coming along?"

"My projects are doing great. What did our friend say about me?"

"He said you're nice, lovely wings but he cautions you not to fly out too often. Maybe when the searches have stopped it'll be safer. All in all, he won't mind checking in on you from time to time. What about you? What do you think of the Bat?"

"I think that he was polite, and a little bossy. He might be a steady partner, I haven't decided yet." She took another bite.

Terry gave her a sharp look. "Partner? For what exactly?" he asked.

"He and I do pretty much the same thing, we just go at it a different way. He's the teeth and claws; I'm the caring one who makes sure they have food and/or clothes."

Terry frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? People or animals?"

"He fights the bad guys; I take care of the people."

"I see. So while he goes after the ones that have done wrong, you help the ones the bad guys have wronged?"

"More or less, yeah, you have the right idea. Though to be honest, I doubt he knows what I'm doing. He gets the spotlight, I work more quietly." She smiled. "Some of the children I visit seem to have made up their own mythology about us." Suddenly looking thoughtful, she put down her meal. "You could say I both prevent people from becoming bad guys as well as clean up the messes left behind when the fight is over."

"Really? That's pretty cool. Though I'm kinda interested to hear what kind of myths they have for you and Batman."

"The younger ones say batman secretly married an angel and is working hard to earn his own wings. The older ones just hope batman stays out of my way, and keep warning me to be careful. The adults just give me worried looks and warn me not to trust him completely." She laughed softly and picked at her food. "The boys are the funnier ones. They fuss over me when I visit."

Terry grinned. "Seems you've got us all fussing over you." he teased. "Hey, you like ice cream?"

"Yes I do, marble is my favorite. What about you?"

"Chocolate. Wanna get some after school? Mr. Wayne didn't say I had to be at his place tonight so I think I have time before he changes his mind."

"Sure, I wouldn't mind." She smiled at Terry. "Thanks for cheering me up."

"No problem. I hope that later tonight I can make amends with Dana though. Maybe I could take her to a movie or something," he added as an afterthought.

"Umm... Terry?" She pointed where Dana was sitting with a group of guys. "Maybe let things cool a bit more?"

Terry looked over and his eyes hardened. His eyes hardened because he felt angry and hurt all at the same time. He stood; ready to knock out the guys for sitting too close to his girl.

"No Terry, don't do it. You're playing right into her hands." Arianna advised. "I might have never played the dating game myself, but I still know the rules."

"If I can't punch out those losers then I have to have a little talk with Dana." He muttered darkly.

"Later. Now sit back down before she notices!" There was an equally angry tone in her voice. "If you don't she'll have already won."

Terry growled and balled his hands into tight fists. She was doing it to make him jealous. He knew this and yet he still wanted to yell at her, punch those guys faces in but he also knew Arianna was right. Taking a deep breath, he sat back down. "On second thought, I'll take you to a movie instead."

"Weren't you going to take me to my new place today?" Arianna asked innocently. "Why not pick up a movie and make it a date?" She took one of his hands, so that it wasn't a fist and squeezed it gently. "I don't mind Terry. Besides, my feet are still a mess, though my braces help."

Terry nodded. "I forgot about your feet. Sorry. Alright, I'll take you to your place, hook up a TV and we'll watch a movie. Got any in mind?" he asked, relaxing a little.

She looked thoughtful, and then shook her head. "No, I haven't heard of any good ones lately." Smiling at Terry, she nodded in approval as he relaxed. "I'd still like to go out for ice cream though."

"Good. Ice cream is exactly what we need." he said and chuckled.

"Have you been to the flea market lately? I'd like to look into getting a booth and selling some of my work to earn some credits on the weekends." Arianna continued, acting as though she didn't notice Dana's death glare. "I know my Mother wouldn't have liked it, but I don't think I have any other options right now."

"No I haven't been but if you want, we can go over there after ice cream. Though, why do you need credits?"

Arianna narrowed her eyes before she answered in a tight voice. "Because if I tried to go to the bank I might as well print a bullseye on my forehead for police target practice Terry."

"You don't need credits right now," said Terry, scrunching up his nose. "But if you really want to then I guess we'll try it."

"Terry, in case you haven't noticed, I can't exactly afford to skip meals." The tone in her voice now could have frozen blood.

Terry rolled his eyes. "I wasn't suggesting you do." he honestly couldn't understand why girls had mood swings the way they did. "I am your cousin you know. I can give you whatever you need, or at least let me help you out in the financial area. Don't forget, I do work for a billionaire."

"And won't your mother wonder exactly what you are doing with all those credits that you could be using to help her pay the rent or the bills?" Arianna pointed out, in no way appeased by his attitude.

"My mom doesn't care what I do with it as long as a certain amount goes into my bank account. As for rent, she's handling that fine. If she needs help, she knows to ask me. Trust me; my financial issues are barely issues at all. You need more help than I do."

Thinking about this for a moment, she nodded slowly. "Okay, but if at any point you feel that your account is being watched..."

"I know I know, stop giving you my money." he grinned at her. "Why are you running track?" he asked once he looked over at the students on the field running. It was a question that he pondered but never remembered to ask until now. "You can barely walk let alone jog a track."

Arianna flinched. "I take it our friend tattled on me?"

Terry grinned. "Yeah, we share a few things with each other. Your well being happens to be one of them." he confessed but grinned to himself.

"I'm not a track runner; it's supposed to be a gym class. I never had to take gym at my other school; I took a heath class instead. Fortunately I think the teacher has taken pity on me... though being knocked down by your darker twin didn't help any..."

Terry frowned. "What darker twin?" he asked completely dumbfounded.

"The star runner... I don't know his name, but he looks exactly like you. He doesn't like me though and knocked me down yesterday on the track because I was too slow." Thinking a moment, she shook her head. "No, his hair was longer I think, but I'm not sure. I was rather busy counting the spots at the time."

The older of the two frowned. "What guy is this? Are you sure he knocked you down on purpose?"

"Chaos... I think that was his name." She looked at Terry. "I know the difference between an accident and the act of the king bully Terrence." The use of his full name meant Terry was really testing her temper.

"Chaos?!" the anger in Terry's eyes was evident. "He's in one of my classes. He doesn't speak much, in fact I've only ever heard him talk once and that was to retort to what the teacher said of him. Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"

Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. "Why give him the satisfaction of knowing he hurt me? It would only encourage him."

Terry sighed. "Because it would appease me?" As Terry looked up, he saw Chaos himself walking to the vending machine to get a beverage. Terry stood, about to confront the slightly taller male about his bullying of Arianna.

"Terry no! Please don't blow my cover!" Arianna said, making as though to stand herself to stop him, hissing in pain when her crutch banged her foot.

"I won't blow your cover. I'll just talk to him." he said but didn't move just in case it really made Arianna angry.

"And just what were you planning to say Terry?" She asked between pants. "You can't pick a fight with him over something you didn't personally see him do!"

"I'm not going to say anything that will reveal you." he strode over to the teen who had just picked the drink he wanted. As he walked over Terry dug into his pocket, thankful he had spare change for a drink so that when Chaos turned around; Terry was right there, giving him a cold stare. "Hey."

Chaos didn't smile or respond at first. "Hey."

"I'll advise you not to pick on anyone anymore. The principle wouldn't be too happy to see the top student in grade 12 chemistry is a bully. And who knows, maybe it'll make him mad enough to put it on your permanent record." he took a step closer to the machine, thus getting closer to Chaos. He put the money in and selected a drink. "Eventually it'll lead to suspension."

Chaos only stared at Terry, wondering what he was talking about until his line of vision made contact with the small dark brunette haired cripple. She didn't sit right with him. He didn't know why but something about her seemed off and it got to him. He glanced back at Terry before replying. "You're not the only one with connections McGinnis." was the only thing he said before walking passed Terry to get back into the school. He didn't look at Arianna as he passed her table either.

Terry waited a moment before he bent and picked up his drink. He didn't really want it so he looked around for anyone that looked thirsty and sure enough he found a grade nine who had just finished out running a pack of bullies. "Here, looks like you could use it."

"Thanks." the blond haired boy smiled up at Terry and took it from him. The taller male nodded and turned back to the table, already hearing Arianna's stinging words of rage even before he got to the table.

Arianna sat down so fast; Terry knew it couldn't be an act. Her legs also began to jerk up and down in a muscle spasm despite her efforts to control it. "Well," she snarled though clenched teeth, "I hope you had nothing better to do for the rest of the week."

"It'll get him off your back for a while."

"You didn't see the look on his face Terry." She ground her teeth together and pressed down harder on her knees.

"No I didn't, but I felt his anger. Count on me and our friend being everywhere you are after classes and at home."

Arianna looked relieved, and her legs finally stopped shaking. "Thank you." She smiled at Terry softly. "Call me paranoid, but I don't like Chaos at all." The bell rang and she swore under her breath and packed the rest of her uneaten lunch away. Seeing Dana still glaring at her, she winked at Terry with a brown eye. "Put on a show?"" She asked as she reached for her crutches.

Terry looked over at Dana, looked back at Arianna, and grinned. "Alright." he helped her get into her crutches and before she was able to move, he hugged her. "Well, sort of a show. Cousins are allowed to hug you know." With that, he kissed her forehead and put an arm around her shoulder to steady her but to anyone else it looked as if he was interested in her. He didn't have to look to know that Dana was absolutely pissed with him. 'Two can play at your game Dana.' was the only thing he thought before he led Arianna back into the school.

"I won't tell if you don't." Arianna said with a mischievous smile. "Besides, I'm not really your cousin anyway." Sadness passed in front of her eyes. "Did you know I had a serious crush on you when we were kids?"

At first, Terry didn't know how to respond, but then he smiled at her. "But I was such a jerk back then."

She flashed him a glance. "A jerk." Arianna agreed. "But a hot looking one nonetheless." The brunette gave a breathless laugh. "Even I had dreams once Terry."

"Did you now?" he chuckled. "And what do you mean 'was'? I'm not hot anymore?"

"Oh, your still hot, but as of now romance is something I can't afford. And you are out of my league, I know that now."

Terry raised an eyebrow. "Not out of your league, just not your type. I have a hard time already trying to find time for myself let alone a girlfriend and I think that's part of why Dana's so mad with me. I wouldn't want to do that to you and besides, the rest of the world and our family won't really see eye to eye with us if they found out we were dating."

"I don't have any family Terry, not anymore... besides..." She shook her head. "Never mind, I guess it doesn't matter now anyway. We still on for moving and ice cream later?"

Terry nodded. "Yep. You may not have family, but I do." he quickly changed the subject so she wouldn't get upset anymore. "What flavor do you like best?"

"You have a short term memory Terry. Marble. It's chocolate and vanilla mixed together." Arianna replied. "You'll be late."

"Oh, right." He tightened his embrace. "Sorry. Do you have all the books you need for your next class?" he said, ignoring the fact he'd be late for class if he stuck around any longer.

"I think so." Suddenly her body tensed in fear; having seen Chaos go into her classroom. "Mother Earth and Father Sky, he scares me..." She muttered. Shaking her head, Arianna leaned into his an embrace to return his hug without freeing her arms. "I'll see you after school."

"Okay. Tell me if he bothers you." he said and gave Chaos a warning glare.

"Will do." Arianna replied. She walked into the classroom and took the seat closest to the door. Ignoring everyone else opening their laptops, the brown-haired woman took out an old-fashioned notebook and pencil from her shoulder bag.

"Ah Chaos, good of you to join us. This is your first day here?" asked the teacher. When the tall young man nodded, the teacher smiled. "Have a seat right next to Angel over there." he said and once Chaos took a seat, he proceeded to speak. "Now class, get comfortable with the person you're sitting beside because from now on, that person is your partner for everything. Studying for tests, exams and projects." he knew it was cruel to some students but that was how he liked it. It got everyone to get to know each other if they weren't already friends and it helped improve the students average. He'd been doing it for twenty five years and wasn't about to change the way he taught.

Chaos tensed as he realized his partner would be Angel, the girl he absolutely loathed. He wasn't even sure why he loathed her but something about her presence, the very thought of her made him both angry and fascinated at the same time.

Arianna's face went white and she swallowed hard. "May the sky protect me..." She murmured in prayer as she scooted her chair and her school supplies closer to the door. Clearly, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. When he sat down, the brunette addressed him with lips white with terror. "I'll pull my weight, just worry about your side of the deal."

Chaos had no expression as he looked at her. "Don't worry about my end." he knew he scared her, which probably could be the result of his tormenting her the other day. It would have unnerved him if she had no reaction to it. "We'll figure something out when the time comes for when we have to work on projects and study." he put his books on his desk perhaps a little too harshly, next to his laptop.

Ignoring him, Arianna opened her notebook and began to write, slowly relaxing as she forgot he was there. As the class went on, it was becoming clear that she didn't have a laptop to type her notes in. Handwriting her notes currently provided enough of a challenge, leaving her no room to worry about Chaos in the slightest. At one point, however, she glared at him. "Will you please stop crowding me?" Arianna asked, looking pointedly at the way he spread his things over the table. "You keep bumping into me, and it's rather difficult to take notes."

In answer, Chaos slowly turned to glare at her. "If it's a bother to you then move it." This girl only succeeded in annoying him. Why couldn't she just be quiet? he thought to himself. It didn't help that he could smell the shampoo in her hair thought it was the most inviting smell he'd encountered. He felt a pair of eyes on him and glanced back to see a boy with red hair smirking at him. He then preceded to hand him a note when the teacher wasn't looking. Rolling his eyes but taking the note anyways, Chaos opened it and read its contents. 'Looks like you need some help getting with the lady.' Chaos sneered in disgust and scribbled back, 'I don't need help getting with her because I don't want her.'

The jock behind him chuckled when he read what the teen in front of him wrote. 'Then you won't mind if I have a night with her.'

'Do what you want.'

'I'm Nash. Remember that.' Chaos didn't reply back after that one. He couldn't care less about this guy's name and writing back would only infer that he wanted to be friends. Chaos Blaze didn't need or want friends. He tossed the note in the trash and glanced over at Angel who had taken him up on his offer to slide over a couple of his books to offer her more writing space.

Her head was bowed over her notebook, and if she saw the exchange going on, she said nothing of it. Instead, she appeared to be reading her textbook with interest, writing down bits and pieces to flesh out her notes a little bit more. Her handwriting was a neat print that was easy to read. Frowning suddenly, she reached over and moved his laptop slightly so that she could read the screen. "You are a very good note-taker." Arianna commented softly, fixing an error on her copy. "The teacher's handwriting is very messy."

Chaos blinked, slightly surprised she had mustered up the courage to move his work and then comment on it. "Thank you." it was a strange thing to come from his mouth considering the tough exterior he had set up for himself with her. "If you need to switch let me know." by this time he had started typing again, refusing to look at her when he was being remotely nice to her.

"Thank you, but I like knowing that I can get out easily. I don't like being in a confined space." She looked up and glanced around the windowless room. "That and there are too many people in the room..."

"And don't look now but you have someone staring holes into you." he muttered, eyes still on the screen of his laptop to make it appear that he had gone back to work.

Startled, she broke her pencil and fished for another one, looking for the person. Seeing the redhead in the seat behind Chaos, Arianna raised her eyebrow in question. 'What?' Her face asked.

Nash shrugged, but then held up one finger. He scribbled something down on a note and handed it to her. 'Hey, you're Angel right? You look as if you could use a friend. Well, more friends other than Terry and Chaos here.'

She opened the paper and wrote underneath his. 'Yes, I'm new. Terry was being nice to me earlier. And Chaos... well, I'm stuck with him even if I don't like it.' Handing the paper back over her shoulder, she made another note on the board.

When are you free?' he asked and winked to one of his buddies.

The brunette frowned in thought, giving this matter serious attention. 'I'm not sure... I'm going to be busy all week.' She wrote back.

'We'll make time then. What are you doing tonight?'

'Terry and I are hanging out, he's driving me home.' Still frowning, she added, 'I thought you had a girlfriend'. Something wasn't right, but Arianna couldn't put her finger on it.

'No, we broke up the other day. Besides, why can't I have a female friend to hang out with as well as a girlfriend?'

'True enough, but I can be boring.' She warned.

'No problem, I'm sure we can find something interesting to talk about.'

'May I have a day or two to check my schedule?' She wrote. 'That way, things don't 'pop up' unexpectedly on my end.'

'Sure. Do whatever you need to. Don't forget to let me know when you're free.' To avoid getting into trouble, Nash smiled up at the teacher when he passed by, giving him a look of innocence.

Chaos had been reading the notes when Angel's head was down, writing back. He looked over at Nash and then back at the girl beside him. Nash seemed like the kind of guy that would purposely lead on a girl like Angel and then break her heart for shits and giggles. For some reason it didn't settle right with him. He got an angry feeling, almost territorial.

'I'm Angel Fairchild.' She wrote. 'You never told me your name.'

'I'm Nelson, Nelson Nash. A lot of people call me Nash but I'd like it if you called me Nelson.'

Arianna turned her head and smiled warmly at Nelson, then tucked the paper they were writing on away so that she could refocus on her notes.

Chaos frowned at his screen, not missing the exchange between Nelson and Angel.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Nelson was one of the first people out but before he left he grinned at Arianna.

Without knowing why, Chaos just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "For the record, Nash isn't the guy you think he is." he muttered and saved his work. He put the laptop away with his books and turned to the girl he now sat beside. The girl he was having mixed feelings about and it was driving him crazy.

"I intend to do a background check on him, that's why I asked for his name. Terry knows the ground here better than I do." She replied as she packed up. "I'll give you my number later." Suddenly she beamed at the doorway and waved; making the smile that she'd given Nelson seem cold in comparison. "Hey Terry."

Chaos didn't return the smile, he just stared after her until the teacher asked if he was okay. He didn't answer the teacher either, just got up and left the class.

"Hey, how was class?" said Terry once he saw Arianna.

"It was interesting... Chaos is going to be my partner in this class... and some guy tried to hit on me. Nelson Nash. Do you know him Terry?" Arianna slung her bag on her shoulder and stood with a wince.

The name had Terry's head whipping around. "Don't trust him, whatever you do. He's a playboy. And a jerk at that. He may come off as nice but his only true love is his car and sex."

Her eyes went wide, and she swallowed. "Okay… you lost me Terry. If he wanted… that… kind of thing why would he pick me out?" She asked as she went though the door that the other held open for her. "Nelson didn't seem to want that from me, I think… Did you want to see the conversation?"

"I'm not sure. He might think you're one of those girls that looks like she has low self esteem so he'd bring it up just to crush it. I know you don't have a low self esteem, but he doesn't know that. And yes, I would like to see the conversation please."

She stopped and turned slightly so that her bag was in his reach "Blue folder, left hand side, and third paper back." Arianna said calmly, her light brown eyes scanning the hall in case Nelson or Chaos popped up again.

The older teen did as instructed and scanned it's contents. "Arianna, he's playing you. He never speaks to anyone that way."

The smaller girl cocked her head, hearing a warning tone in his voice that usually meant trouble. "No Terry, you aren't going to turn him into hallway pie or street pizza." She sighed. "Thank you for the warning."

"If he bothers you, let me know. I won't tolerate him harassing you." Terry handed the note back and led the way to the exit.

"I'm more worried about Chaos, Nelson doesn't concern me now that you've told me what I needed to know Terry."

"Chaos? I don't think he'll do anything to you. Not while I'm around anyway. Besides, he can't get away with anything with the other students and teachers watching."

She shot him a glare. "Terry," Arianna said patiently. "I'm STUCK with him until the term ends."

"Yeah, and I really don't think he's going to start throwing punches in the middle of class."

Seeing that he didn't understand, the brunette shook her head. "Terry, what do you and your partner do when you two have to work together on something?"

"Divide the work and either work on it individually, stay after school or go to one another's home to work on it. Why?"

"Use your head Terry. If he comes over to my place, my secret isn't going to STAY a secret very long, not to mention he's a guy..." She left it hanging and waited for the light bulb in his brain to turn on

Terry raised an eyebrow. "Then you do everything in your power to ensure you either stay at school or divide the work."

"We're talking about Chaos here Terry, and he gives me the creeps! He kept staring at me whenever he thought I wasn't looking." She sighed again. "Never mind, let's get that ice cream."

Terry only sighed and opened the door for her to get in. "If you like I'll be there too." He rounded to the other side and started the car. "Marble and chocolate ice cream here we come." he took off down the road, neglecting to see the pair of dark blue eyes that watched them leave the school grounds.


	3. Surprises and heartbreaks

Author's note: Thank you Inu-midoriko for all your help. I would also like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. Hope everyone enjoys this chapter!

* * *

The lunch tables were full at Hamilton Hill High School. Chaos was sitting alone in the corner table, closest to the door, just the way he liked it. He didn't like all the groups people got themselves into and he certainly didn't like all the gossip that they discussed while they ate. To be alone meant no annoyances.

Speaking of annoyances, he spotted Angel with Terry McGinnis not too far away from his table. His eyes narrowed when his gaze swept over her and came back to his book. He hated the fact he couldn't get enough of her. He didn't know why but she never left his mind. It was like meeting someone for the first time and liking them so much you couldn't wait to see them again. The only downside is that he also couldn't stand her. She was like one of those people that you meet and can't stand to be around. Combine them together and you get one hell of a confused guy. One minute it'll tug one way, the next minute it's going the opposite direction.

He sighed slightly. He couldn't afford to have a girl ruin his plans. All he needed to do was get good grades, graduate from high school and he'd be on his way to taking over his father's business.

It also helped a little that he had a small ability that most didn't. He could walk through walls. He could walk through anything really. Anything except skin. His father thought the ability was both freaky and fascinating. The freaky side doesn't like to help out Chaos, leaving him to fend for his own food, place to stay, and money to get everything from. This left Chaos with few options. The harder option was to find a job, but who would hire a teen named Chaos? His name meant disaster and that's all they would think of him. No, he chose the easier option of the two: stealing it from anywhere that he could. As long as he didn't get caught from Batman or the cops, he was good to go and so far, he hasn't even left a trace.

A peal of happy honest laughter jerked the dark haired man out of his thoughts. Terry was trying to get Angel to eat something, but the smaller girl laughingly wasn't having any of it. After a minute of coaxing and a hard hug from Terry, Angel sighed and seemed to cave in, taking the fork that Terry handed her and reluctantly putting it in her mouth. The expression on her face was priceless; she seemed to like it though. Terry looked smug and greatly amused as he patted her head and gave her the rest of the food on his tray.

Although Angel shot a glare at Terry, it didn't stop her from cleaning the tray of the proffered food. The older boy still looked smug as he shoved a bottle of something at her and crossed his arms until she took a drink.

Chaos growled lowly at the sight. He wasn't sure why the sight angered him but it did. She looked at Terry like she trusted him with more than her lunch. She looked as if she'd trust him with anything and that troubled him. For an instant, she looked over and they held gazes. His intense, hers startled that he was even looking her way. He broke eye contact first when a girl with short pink hair and dark skin sat down at his table.

"Sorry to intrude on you like this but can I sit here for a few moments?"

"Do as you want." was his short reply.

"Thanks." she looked over and saw Terry and Arianna. "Do you know who the new girl is?"

"An annoying pain in the ass." he replied, his face looking sour.

The dark skinned girl narrowed her eyes and then grinned at him. "You're jealous?"

"No. There's nothing to be jealous of. Now if you want to continue sitting here I suggest you shut up."

Arianna shuddered. "Terry, I don't LIKE him... Could you carry me to class again?" She asked, not wanting to admit that she felt too scared to stand up under Chaos's hawk-like glaring. "He keeps staring at me... is there something wrong?"

Terry frowned and then looked over. He was surprised to see his friend Max there but didn't state so. Instead, he glared right back at Chaos. "Nothing's wrong. He's just trying to be intimidating. I'll carry you." he said and stood. He grabbed her things and then picked her up. He passed by their table and stopped. "Max, I want to talk to you after." his voice and look was cold but the coldness was meant for the teen sitting across from her.

Max nodded and watched as he walked away with Arianna on his back.

The girl was shivering on his back. "Damn the law against splicing! I'd feel so much safer if I knew I could fly at need." She muttered into Terry's ear, hugging him tight. "I feel bad making both you and our friend playing babysitter all the time..."

"Don't worry about him. Are you alright now?" he asked as he dropped her off in front of her next class.

Although her face was pale, the smaller girl nodded. "I'll manage. Thank the skies I have fashion class now, it'll steady my nerves, and maybe by the end of the day I'll be able to face Chaos without freezing like a deer!" With a shaky smile, the girl walked away.

An hour later, the brunette entered the class she shared with Chaos with a smile. Grateful that her tormenter hadn't beaten her yet, she calmly settled into her seat and arranged her supplies to her liking before he could take up all the room. Nelson was there, and she was polite to him, but not overly warm. When Chaos finally showed, Arianna swallowed and turned her face away, ignoring him as best she could.

Chaos sat down and tried his best to ignore the girl next to him for as long as possible. When the teacher came in, all he instructed his students to do was work on their project for the class. Chaos would have groaned but then Angel would have heard and it would have made their partnership that much more awkward. He eventually turned to her. "This is due in a week. With the way we're working now we're not going to get it done on time."

Arianna frowned. "What do you suggest we do?" She asked calmly, acknowledging the truth of his statement. "Use the library after school today?"

"I think that would be best. However, if you have somewhere to be I understand. I'll do what I can on my own."

The girl's lips twitched. "I already have a list of books that we need." Arianna smiled. "They were too heavy for me to carry, but I put them on hold." As she spoke, she pushed a piece of paper towards him. "If you can take care of the internet sources, I can handle the book work."

Chaos took the list and skimmed over it. He nodded in agreement. "Alright. Meet you there after school?"

"I have a better idea. Ask the teacher to excuse us." Arianna answered, not looking up from her notebook.

"Why?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "Trying to beat the traffic?"

The look she shot at him was one of disgust. "If we get down there now, it might earn the teacher's respect. Besides, the more we get done, the sooner we finish." Then she smirked. "Or would you rather spend the evening in my company pulling an all-nighter?" The question was aimed to strike at his hatred of her and the feeling that he had much better things to do.

Chaos grinned at her attempt to scare him off. "Don't get your hopes up. I've got nothing to do tonight so if you want to pull an all nighter, lets do it," he raised an eyebrow at her and stared her in the eyes, trying to catch her bluff. "Unless of course, you can't handle a night alone working with me."

Arianna snickered. "If we finish quickly, the sooner we'll be rid of each other. That's enough for me. Besides, you'll be the one typing the report." She packed her things up and slung the strap of her bag around her neck before standing. The brunette slowly walked up to the teacher and patiently waited for acknowledgement.

"What is it Angel? Is Chaos not pulling his weight?" asked the teacher.

"Sir, may I have permission to go to the library to work? I have some books on hold that I need." She asked respectfully. "Chaos is handling the internet portion of the work and doesn't need my help at the moment." The girl smiled at the teacher. "It would be a better use of time if I stayed down there to work rather than go down there just to come back again."

The teacher scrunched his nose, wanting to disapprove of the idea but he relented and nodded. "I don't want to find you skipping out on your idea but you may go."

"Thank you very much." Arianna beamed at the teacher and made her way out of the room, not giving Chaos as much as a glance.

After class, Chaos walked out of the room and found Terry waiting for Angel. "She's not here. She went to the library, where I'm about to join her to work on our project." he said and made his way over.

Terry merely glared at him. "Tell her to call me if she needs a ride home."

"Will do." was all Chaos said and passed Max, Terry's friend. She smiled at him in a friendly manner and he acknowledged it by nodding to her.

Terry saw the exchange and narrowed his eyes at Max. "We need to talk Max."

"About?"

"What's your deal with Chaos?"

"What do you mean 'what's my deal'? We're acquaintances. What's it matter to you anyway? Shouldn't you be chasing after Dana instead of some other girl you barely know?"

"I'm through chasing after Dana. If she wants to get back together with me, she's going to have to come to me, not the other way around. Besides, I know Angel."

"For all of two days." she hissed, a flash of anger came through her eyes.

"Why are you so mad? Why do you care who I see?"

"I don't."

"Sure looks like it." he mumbled.

"Hey, you started this whole thing by asking what my deal was with Chaos."

"That's different! Chaos is dangerous."

"You don't even know him."

"Angel told me he's picked on her before."

"Oh so you're going to trust some girl over me?"

"What? No! It's just I don't see why she would lie about it." They reached Max's locker and by that time, she was frustrated beyond belief.

"Look, I won't bug you about who you're friends with, if you don't bug me." she said finally and opened her locker.

"I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Well I don't need looking out for thank you. Look out for your new 'girlfriend'."

Terry slammed his hand next to her head, his temper getting the best of him for a moment. Max widened her eyes at him but said nothing.

"Angel is not my girlfriend. You don't know what you're talking about Max. Just stay out of it."

It was Max's turn to get physical. She turned away from her now open locker to fully face Terry. She jabbed him in the chest. "You men are all alike. Pretend to care and then when we say something that you don't like you go off the handle. As I said before, you started it. If you can't handle retaliation then don't start anything you can't finish."

"Pretend to care? I don't pretend to care, and lets not forget, it was you who forced your way into my life."

"Forced?! Oh that's rich Terry. Real rich." she shoved his chest. "Just get out of here. If I'm so unwanted then just go, don't worry about me anymore."

Terry sighed heavily, now feeling guilty that she took his words the wrong way. "That's not what I meant."

"It still hurt."

Terry held up his hands. "Fine. I'll go." as he walked away from Max he only got angrier and angrier that their argument didn't turn out in his favor, or hers, for that matter. It ended in Max deeply hurt and he incredibly angry. He got into his car and sped down the streets for Wayne Manor.

Arianna rubbed her head as she made another note on the packet of index cards. She had made good use of her time, and three stacks of index cards were the current fruit of her labor. Two thickish finished books rested above the three stacks, and she was on book number three. Marking her page, the girl stretched and got to her feet to sharpen her pencils, wincing as her back cracked in protest while she walked. Since her back was towards the door, she never noticed when her 'partner' slipped inside the library.

Chaos sat down where he saw her things on a table. He saw her up at the librarian's desk sharpening her pencils. He took out his laptop and opened it to the work he had done. It was a good thing they didn't have to present it because neither of them would be able to memorize the amount of work they had finished.

Raising her eyebrow in silence, Arianna rejoined Chaos. "I only have two more books to do after I finish this one... do you have any index cards handy? I'm almost out, and the school store raised the prices again."

For an answer, Chaos gave her an exasperated look and took some out of his bag. "You owe me."

She looked at him, pausing in the act of taking the cards. "The price?" Something in his voice warned her that he wasn't talking about replacing the cards she was going to use.

"I'll come up with something soon." he replied, watching her squirm. "Don't worry; it won't be anything... typical."

Arianna relaxed completely and took the cards, her small hand brushing against his in the process. Seemingly not noticing this, she reopened the book and resumed her work. "Good."

Chaos took a moment to get back to work. He basically had everything all organized, he just needed Angel's notes to add in and the report would be done. He noted how easily she relaxed. He guessed it was a good sign. He'd hate to have a partner that jumped every time he moved. Perhaps he would thank McGinnis for that. It seemed she had gotten used to relaxing to people a lot easier under Terry's influences. "Can I ask a semi personal question?" he said but didn't look up from his typing.

"You can ask, but I can't promise to answer." Arianna replied, putting the book aside and finishing the card she was writing. "Two more books to go..."

He took a moment to think of a way to ask his question. "You and McGinnis... Are you two a... thing?"

The sharp snap of her pencil breaking betrayed her surprise. "I wish." She muttered, her good mood disappearing like ice melting in summer. "You'd have to ask him, not me." Putting the broken pencil aside, she shut the half-read book and picked up the last one.

The dark haired teen narrowed his eyes at her and paused on his typing. "If you want to date him," he said with a slight sneer in his voice. "Then why don't you?"

"It's complicated." Arianna stated flatly.

Getting the hint to drop the subject, Chaos returned to his typing.

About an hour or so later, Chaos had finished organizing his online research. "Do you need any help with those books?" he asked.

"No, I'm finished too." Finishing the last card, she put rubber bands on each pile. "Top stack is Pro, middle is Con, third are facts. Every card has the book and page number on the back."

Chaos nodded and took the cards. "I have decided how I want you to repay me for the cards." he stated solemnly.

Wary light brown eyes gazed at him as she looked up from the stack. "Yes?"

"I'm afraid we got off on the wrong foot. Mainly my fault. I can be a bit cocky sometimes and I apologize for the incident on the track. My only request is we go for dinner at a small cafe I know to get to know each other a bit better. I know how you see me. I'm a cold hearted bully that has a tendency to stare at people and it comes off as creepy instead of observant."

"You got that right... I had to hold Terry back from jumping all over you, which didn't work very well apparently." She thought about this. "When?"

Chaos would have laughed if it weren't for the fact he never did such a thing. He couldn't remember the last time he even made a genuine smile at someone. "I was hoping tonight. You had expressed that you had no plans for this evening. Of course, if you want to give this time to think over or call McGinnis and ask for his permission I understand. But I'm sure you don't need his permission to go out to dinner with a classmate." he added the last bit because even to him he sounded sarcastic and demeaning.

"I don't need permission, but he likes to check on me, and make sure I'm okay since I have my own place." She stood up. "Could you please put the books in the return slot? I'll just meet you outside." Shifting her bag, she made her way to the door.

Chaos did as she asked and soon enough he met her outside. "This way, my car isn't too far." he led the way to the parking lot where the only car left in there was a black four by four jeep. He opened the door for her and helped her in since it was slightly high above the ground. He rounded to the driver's side and handed her his cell phone. "Call him if you want."

Narrowing her eyes, she punched in a number and waited for it to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Terry, it's Angel. What's up?"

"Hey Angel. I'm looking after Matt. Mom went out to class tonight. What's up with you?"

"Not much, I'm heading out to dinner right now, and I just wanted to call so you wouldn't panic if I didn't pick up."

Terry smiled on the other end. "Thanks Angie. Who you going out with? I wasn't aware you had made other friends."

"Chaos. We were working late, so he's taking me to the cafe." She flinched, waiting for the explosion.

At first, Terry didn't react. "Let me talk to him."

"Oh geez." She muttered, narrowing her eyes. Then she looked at Chaos. "He wants to talk to you. Want me to take the wheel for a sec?"

"Sure why not?" he said took his hands off the wheel and took the phone from her. Whenever the car veered off to the side, he used his free hand to steer it in the middle of the lane again and then let Angel have her fun. "What?"

"You're taking her out to dinner?"

"That's what the lady said. Small cafe in a bookstore. I'm sure you know what one I'm taking about."

"Sorry, don't visit bookstores too often."

"Well then I guess you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out where I took her."

"Stop playing games Blaze."

"Sorry McGinnis, gotta go. We're just about there and I don't think Angel knows how to park just yet."

"You're letting her drive?!"

"Something like that. I'll have her home before eleven." With that, he hung up and took the wheel from her so he could park in the parking lot of 'Dan's Diner and Bookstore'.

Arianna gave him back the wheel and eyed him. "I'm gonna be in so much trouble..." She shook her head. "I wasn't really driving..."

"Just tell him I was saying that to rile him up." he put the phone in his pocket and got out of the jeep to help her out. Once they were inside, he grabbed them a table by the window. The walls were a deep red with books neatly stacked on the shelves against the wall. There were sliding ladders to reach the top.

Her eyes lit up when she saw the books. "Wow... I just found a new hangout." She grinned. "Thank you for bringing me here."

Chaos decided he liked that reaction and the smile she gave him. "I knew you'd like it here. I come here to think."

"Ah Chaos, what can I get you and your friend?" asked a bouncy blonde girl. She was around their age or a little younger. Her eyes never left Chaos but he didn't pay any mind to her.

"Angel, what would you like to drink?"

"Drinks first and then the meal this time?" she asked, glancing slightly at Angel and then back to Chaos. "Yes."

"I'll have an iced tea please, no lemon." Arianna replied politely

"Right. And for you Chaos?" she said his name sickeningly sweet.

"Coffee, no cream, milk or sugar."

"Coming right up." she walked away with an obvious swing to her hips.

Arianna's lips twitched slightly in humor. "I take it that you come here often?"

"Yes. Coincidently she's here every time." he said and looked past her at the bookshelf. "Excuse me; I just saw something that caught my eye."

"Of course, may I browse as well? Or would you rather that I wait for our drinks first?" Arianna was being very polite.

"Go ahead. I'll just be over here." he said and walked over to a shelf and selected a book. When he had sat down and looked over past Angel he saw a book called, 'Knit the Pattern' and immediately he thought of her knitting class. He skimmed through the book and saw that they had lovely patterns and they taught how to put those patterns and many others into whatever you were making. He glanced over his shoulder at Angel. She was over in the fiction section on the other side. It was perfect. She wouldn't see he was buying something for her. It was a peace offering and he hoped to dear God that she would like it. He paid for it at the counter and then went back to his seat where his and Angel's drink sat on the table.

Arianna came back a few minutes later with a dreamy smile on her lip. "If this place isn't heaven, then I don't know what is." She said as she resumed her seat, carefully resting her crutches against the wall beside the window.

"Find anything you like?" he asked, hiding the book from her sight.

"Oh yes. I found a great deal to my liking. I could spend a great deal of time here." She grinned.

"I'm glad you like it." he paused to take a sip of his drink. "I... got you something."

The girl looked surprised. "You did?"

Chaos brought the book from underneath the table and held it out to her. He didn't meet her eyes. "I thought you might like it since you're in the knitting club."

Her eyes eager, she took the book reverently and thumbed though it, stopping at one point to marvel at a pattern "By Earth and Sky... this is perfect! Thank you so much!"

Chaos grinned. "You're welcome." the server came back with menus. "What would you like?" she asked and the two flipped through the menus.

"Your beef stew and bread sound wonderful. What about you Chaos?"

"I think I'll go with the steak and fries please. Medium well done." the girl wrote it all down and bounced away to give the order to the chef.

Arianna smiled. "I think you have a fan there Chaos."

Chaos looked at her. "I do?"

"Think about it, she gives you all of her attention, flirts with you, and she's here whenever you are." She glanced over his shoulder and leaned forward slightly to speak in a quieter voice. "And is currently giving me one dinger of a death glare..."

This made Chaos raise an eyebrow. "I'm not interested in her. Or blondes. I prefer... brunettes." he grinned at her.

His reaction made Arianna snicker. "Don't tell me that, tell her before she sets her own hair on fire!"

"And have her cry in front of everyone? I don't think so."

She rolled her eyes. "Idiot... Take her outside then, take her for a walk if you have to."

"I think I'll pass. She might try to jump me on the walk."

"You know any of her friends?"

"Not a clue. Well there's Terry's supposed girlfriend. She sometimes drops by."

She flinched. "Never mind then. A note maybe?"

"That's tacky. How about I make like I don't notice?"

"You can't just leave her hanging Chaos. That's just rude."

"I'll do it tomorrow. I didn't have you come here with me so you could watch me let someone down."

Surprised, Arianna nodded. "That is a good reason. Though just to warn you, she might accuse us of dating."

"Right now I don't see the problem with that."

Arianna narrowed her eyes. "Don't get any ideas Chaos." She warned.

"I'm not. I already said this is a night without typical guy wantings." He leaned back and gave her an intense look. "I'm just saying that from where I'm sitting, I don't mind if she mistakes our outing."

Smiling, the smaller girl just shook her head. Privately, she highly doubted that, but she was too polite to say so. "What do you plan to do after high school?" Arianna asked instead.

"Take over my father's business. He's old and wants to retire but trusts no one but family. Seeing as I have no cousins or other siblings he was forced to entrust me with it." he said and paused as their food came. The blonde girl gave Chaos a sweet smile before she left. "What about you?"

Taking her time to answer, she took a bite of her stew as she thought about it. "I want to design clothes for people with disabilities and other people who need help finding clothes that fit right but can't afford to have everything altered all the time." She said finally. The brunette shrugged. "I like making my own clothes, so why not make clothes for people who need them?"

Chaos nodded. "If you make it big that means huge bucks. You're not in it for the credits?"

"It's not a goal, but if it turns out I make a lot of credits in the process, then I'm fine with that." Arianna replied. "If I wanted to make a _lot_ of credits, I'd become a fashion designer." She took another bite of stew. "Seriously though, I think there are more than enough of those."

"Fashion Designer or custom clothes designer, you're still going to make quite a bit of money." Chaos took some fries in a fork and ate them before he continued speaking. "Have you made anything for anyone?"

"Just me... and sometimes my mother before she passed away." Arianna replied calmly.

"That's why you live alone?" he asked.

"Yeah." She said softly. "She was my best friend."

"I see." he looked down at his plate and then back up at her. "My mother passed away too. I was seven."

"Were the two of you close?" Arianna asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I can't remember much. I remember she had plans to put me in soccer. It was her favorite sport. Father loved her just as much as she loved me. She had to go to work at three in the morning because she got called in. She was a cop so naturally she was an on call. Father was supposed to take me to school like she had asked but when I woke up, he told me we were going to have a father son day and go to the arcade and maybe he'd teach me some things regarding soccer. Obviously I was excited." he smiled sadly down at his plate, his appetite forgotten. "We didn't get as far as ten o'clock in the morning before mother's partner was at the door. He said she'd been shot relentlessly by a group that called themselves The Jokerz. The perp has yet to be found but I swear, when I do find him, he's going to look in my eyes and see the woman he murdered."

Arianna nodded. "I can understand that, believe me." She took a bite of her bread after dipping it in the stew. "Are you playing soccer now?"

The black haired teen shook his head and forced himself to finish his food. "No, that dream stopped when father stopped wanting anything to do with me." he grinned at her. "Sorry, I'm spilling my heart out here. Basically, I've turned out alright. I pay the rent every month just like everyone else and I've got a good career a head of me."

"That's all right. You sound like you've been bottled up for a while now." Arianna smiled sadly as she finished her stew.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one." he stated and leaned back in his chair once he had finished the last of his steak.

"No, you aren't." She agreed. "What time is it now?" Eyeing Chaos she added. "I wouldn't do that if I were you Chaos."

Chaos raised an eyebrow but leaned forward. "Why not?"

"That chair doesn't look like it could take much weight on two legs." She replied.

"Thank you for your concern." he said genuinely and took out his phone. "It's seven thirty-two."

Arianna grinned. "Want to browse some more?" She asked. "We might find more interesting books to read at a later date."

On the ride back to Arianna's place around nine thirty, they were both silent. Chaos could tell Angel was tired, as was he. They both had a long day and needed much rest. He found that she was growing on him in small ways. The way he told her his past, he actually smiled, although sadly, and just the way he had acted around her. It was completely different from when they first met. He had gotten the directions to her place from her before they left so it was all smooth sailing from then on.

When he pulled up into the small driveway, he saw Terry leaning against the hood of his car, a glare in his gaze. "Looks like he's angry." he commented.

Arianna gulped. "Not good." She sighed and reached for her crutches. "Thank you for dinner and driving me home Chaos."

"You're welcome. It was nice." he got out of the jeep but Terry stopped him.

"I can take it from here, thanks." Chaos paused and returned the hard glare Terry sent his way as he went to help Angel out of the jeep. He could see she was fine but that didn't lessen his distrust.

Chaos got back in his jeep but rolled down his windows. "See you at school Angel." then he gave Terry a sneer. "McGinnis." then sped off down the road.

Silently, Arianna watched Chaos drive away, then turned a confused look on Terry. "He didn't hurt me."

"I don't trust him. There's something about him that doesn't sit right with me." his already bad mood from fighting with Max had heightened greatly.

Arianna just shook her head. "Don't worry, it was only this once Terry. I doubt he'll actually ask me out on a date." She snickered. "Chaos thinks you and I are an item."

Terry chuckled at that. "Now that's funny." he patted her on the back and led her inside her home. "Are you going to be all right?"

"UmmHmm... Does that bother you?" She asked, unlocking her door and opening it for him.

"What?"

"Us appearing as an item." She replied following him inside the house, shutting the door behind her with a foot.

"Well, we're sorta cousins. I mean, I know we don't have the same blood running through us but all my life I've seen you as a cousin."

She shrugged. "Our moms weren't really sisters Terry. It doesn't really bother me anymore."

"It's not something I can really look past since for as long as I can remember I've seen you as my cousin."

Arianna swallowed. "I see." Her voice was soft and sad. "I'm sorry Terry… but… well, maybe this is better. You have your own life now."

Terry frowned at her. "What are you talking about?" he asked, clearly oblivious to the fact she had feelings for him.

Wanting to cry, Arianna shook her head. "It's late, you should go. I'll be heading to school early, so I won't need a ride."

"I think we should talk about this. Clearly, something is up. I've already messed up one thing today by saying the wrong thing. I don't want to it to end the same way."

"I don't want you to hate me." She said, making her way over to the couch.

"I wouldn't hate you. We'd talk about the situation, even if it is awkward."

For a minute, she was silent, then she spoke while removing her shoes "I never saw you as a cousin Terry... you were a sometime playmate. A fantasy that came and went, but still leaving crumbs behind for me to treasure when you were gone. You were a hero to me, a dark knight." Arianna kept her head down. "I never thought of your relatives as my family, they made it clear they didn't care. So did you, I was just too young and blind to see it."

Terry stood, confused and thinking how he could have missed it. He thought back to all the family functions he attended and when they got to see each other. Looking back on it now, he realized how blind he had been. She was there wherever he was, she stuck up for him when the adults were insulting his bad boy ways and there was that look. That look people give when they're crushing hard. "Arianna I didn't know..." he said softly. "I'm sorry..."

The girl just shook her head. "It was my own fault. I should have never gotten you involved in this. We could never be together anyway. You're building a life here that's more than anything I could give you. You need someone who can fit in with that. It won't be hard Terry, you'll have plenty of offers... and I'll just disappear like I always have. No one will notice me."

Terry went to her and embraced her. "I may not be able to return your feelings Arianna, but that's no reason for you to leave. I don't want to you leave. You're like a little sister to me, you're not even a cousin anymore. Besides, you deserve someone better than me. I've got a record and I'm apparently not good with giving girls enough attention." he paused and sighed but kept his embrace. "If you left, I'd notice."

She sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. "I won't have a choice. I'll have to go. It isn't safe for me to be around you. You are too popular, and I've already messed up your life once. I already know what will happen to me if the police find me. They said so on the news."

"You honestly think Batman and I will let that happen? You can't run your whole life. Stay here and I promise nothing will happen."

Arianna looked at him, and Terry could see the tears in her face. "Batman can't stop the police, and I'd rather he not make them an enemy. The police won't kill me... but I'll wish I was dead... They said if I was found my wings would be removed Terry."

Terry moved to put some space between them so he could look at her. "Don't say such stupid things." he said, anger rising in his voice. "You're better than to be talking about wishing to be dead. Stick with me and nothing will happen to your wings. Just trust me ok?"

"You didn't see those knives!" Arianna shot back. "Unlike that splicing mockery, mine can't be reversed." A bitterness crept into her eyes. "Damn that pervert... too bad batman killed him..."

Terry frowned even further. "Is it so hard to trust me?" he asked, trying to sound even.

"I trust you Terry... but don't..." She sighed and scratched her head fiercely. "I just wish I didn't have to hide. I wish that those bubble-headed police would let me keep my home and that they'd start hunting for whoever killed my mother instead!" Her slender hands clenched into fist. "And there's one police officer that I want to have a little... chat with."

"We'll worry about that once things settle down. The last thing you want to do is draw attention to yourself. Now, for me, stay here."

"They are going to demo my home tomorrow." Arianna said, bending down to remove her braces, ignoring the bloody bandages as she stood.

"You got everything you need right?"

"The only place I haven't gone into was the lab... and mom made that room tamper-proof!"

Terry shook his head. "You get some rest. I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning." he kissed her forehead and closed the door behind him as he left to go home.


	4. Discoveries and new opportunities

Author's note: Once again, thank you Inu-midoriko for all your help! I would also like to thank Selverwulf and Ashleighjacinta for their wonderful and insightful reviews! We hope that this chapter was worth the wait.

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'Flying never gets old.' Arianna thought as her white wings beat the air mercilessly. She wasn't in a good mood since Terry had turned her down, and had decided to get some air. It made her smile when she saw how peaceful her territory was tonight, aside from a few petty robbers who had ran away when she called them. "I think I scared twenty years off their lives." Arianna murmured aloud as she smirked. Hearing an alarm nearby, the girl wasted no time folding her wings and dove toward the sound. She wondered if this one would run too.

The man Arianna found was indeed running. But not only was he running, he was someone she knew. Chaos Blaze, with a bag filled with credits from the bank he stole from, was loosing the cops that were chasing him. He darted into dark alleyways and somehow ended up on the other side of the wall, successful in confusing his pursuers.

Mentally shaking her head, Arianna flew over his head and landed in front of him. "Good evening... I believe that isn't yours." Her voice was soft as she spread her wings for balance and pushed her glasses back up her nose.

A surprised Chaos frowned as he skipped to a halt. "This isn't any of your concern." he said simply and turned around. The cops were too far behind to catch up to it wouldn't hurt to retrace a few pathways.

"On the contrary sir. This is my territory." She took a slow but regal-looking step towards him. "If you give me the credits so that I may return them, I'll let you go." Privately she was pleased that he attempted to stand his ground. Arianna looked like an angel in her white outfit and gentle demeanor and knew it. The only sign that she was expecting trouble was her honey-brown hair that was styled in a braid tightly down her back and the braces on her legs.

Chaos gave her a cold once over. "Listen, I don't know who you think you are, but I worked hard to get these creds so if you don't mind I'll be on my way, your territory or not."

She sighed. "Well, I tried to be nice." Arianna climbed the fire escape and spread her wings as she jumped, hitting him with her right wing and shoving him into a pile of trashcans in the process.

He was obviously caught off guard because his head flew into the wall, which wouldn't have happened if he had been paying attention and not been knocked over into the trash cans. He wasn't one to hit a woman but if it was a fight she was looking for, she would get a little roughing up. He stood with the bag wound tightly around his hand. "Don't make me hurt you." he stated, obviously a bluff but she didn't know that yet.

Her mismatched eyes only laughed at him. She landed in front of him and pushed him against the wall. Now, that she was this close, Chaos could see that the girl pinning him to the wall only came up to his chest. "You were saying?" She asked politely, as though she did this every night.

He placed a hand on her head and pushed her off of him and held her at an arm's length away so her arms wouldn't reach him. "On the contrary, _you_ were saying?"

The laughter in her eyes died as quickly as it had appeared. Now they grew cold as her lips pressed together in anger. Although her hair had felt soft against his palm, he had left his arm exposed, and this angel wasted no time raking her nails across the skin. She winced as a nail broke, but didn't waste the opportunity to try and snatch the bag in his hand.

Chaos merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't be a fool. You couldn't possibly reach the bag from here."

In answer, she ducked and kicked him hard, not bothering to speak.

The dark haired teen grunted and let go of her. She somehow managed to kick his knee hard enough that it popped slightly inwards. He bent over to try to pop it back into a bend but that was his first mistake.

Arianna smiled and nipped the bag out of his hand before lightly kissing his forehead. "Thank you." She said simply, backing away to climb the fire escape again.

His was surprised that she kissed him but it didn't change the fact he was in pain. With a great thrust and a loud crack, his knee was back in it's place. By then the girl was long gone. "I will find out who you are and when I do," he stated, mumbling to himself. "You'll wish you never crossed me."

Dropping the stolen credits in front of the police, she soared away humming softly. She was in a much better mood now. Coming back into her new place, she folded her wings back and yawned, happy just to go to sleep at last.

The next day Chaos stormed the halls in fury. He hadn't slept because that girl... angel... thing was still in his mind. Everyone stayed clear of him, not wanting to be on the receiving end of his foul mood. He passed by the windows to outside and happened to look out the same time Terry McGinnis was approaching Angel's table. She noticed and started packing up her books in a hurry. Obviously, she was trying to avoid him. She turned in his direction and it was at that moment he saw a close resemblance to the girl he had encountered the night before. He stopped mid-stride and did a double take.

"Hey Chaos, what's shakin'?" asked Max and when he didn't answer right away she looked to see what he was watching and then grinned. "You like the Angel girl huh?"

Chaos turned to her finally. "Nonsense. She just looks like someone I met last night." he replied. When Max saw Terry approaching Angel she frowned in anger and turned away. "Come on. We can both stand here and stare like creeps or we can get a bite to eat."

"You don't mind eating with me huh?" he asked, finally turning from the window to face her.

"No, why?"

"You're about the only one who isn't afraid of me when I'm in a bad mood. I don't know if that's foolish or bravery."

Max shrugged. "If you didn't want me around you would have told me so."

"True enough."

"Come on, lets get something to eat before McGinnis and Angel see us and think we have nothing better to do than creep on them." she said and started walking to the cafeteria.

"Someone sounds a little bitter." Chaos strode up beside her. Max only gave him a look that said to drop the subject and they moved on to get their food.

Her back itched like a thousand biting ants. It made her want to rip open her skin with her bare nails, though her broken nail still hurt like hell! Gritting her teeth, Arianna watched Terry approach even as she quickly packed her things to leave. The last thing she needed was for Terry to get near her! She made as though to stand, hoping that Terry was going to go back to Dana or something.

"Hey Angel. You got a minute?" he asked.

'Shit!' Arianna cursed silently, but she couldn't start a scene now, she owed Terry that much. "Only a few minutes, I need to get to class early. What's up?"

"About last night. I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine." She said, grinding her teeth in silent agony.

Terry nodded. "I'll have Batman swing by tonight to make sure you have everything you need."

She returned the nod, not trusting herself to speak as she started to shuffle away.

Privately, Terry knew she was more or less avoiding him and it was making him less than happy to let her walk away like that. He sighed and looked into the windows and spotted Max, who was now eating lunch with Chaos again in the cafeteria windows. His eyes narrowed. If Max thought their conversation was over, she was sadly mistaken.

Arianna flinched as she passed by the pair, wishing that just this once she dared to skip the class she shared with Chaos. He was just plain creepy, though he could hide this very well when he so chose. Her back itched even more when their eyes met, and Arianna was grateful for her disguise.

When their eyes met, he held her gaze for a moment longer than he intended and smirked at her before he broke their gaze. Max turned to see who he was looking at but her expression was unreadable. She turned back to Chaos and mumbled something to him that had him raise a skeptical eyebrow at her.

For an answer, Arianna turned away and didn't see Chaos again until the class they shared. However, this time she sat as far away from him as she could. She prayed that he would leave her alone today. The last thing Arianna needed was more trouble from him.

Chaos sat in his usual spot and immediately started typing on his computer. He noticed she was ignoring him but he didn't say anything to her, not yet at least anyway. After thirty minutes of IMing Max in her computer course and switching to typing the reports every now and then, he sat back and looked over at Angel. "What have you got done?"

She handed him a thick notebook, though not the one she'd been writing in, without looking at him. It contained the detailed outline of their new project as well as quotes and key points. The girl had also taken the index cards and re-wrote them in the notebook so that he wouldn't need to keep flipping though the cards.

The dark haired teen took them from her and thanked her. "Does your name have any significant meaning?" he asked, without looking at her

"In Greek 'Angel' means 'Messenger of God'. Why do you ask?" She replied while her head bowed again over the notebook she was writing in.

For a moment, Chaos considered the possibility that she was the winged girl from the night before. After all, out in the sunlight, she looked exactly like her except using crutches, and with different hair and eye color, not to mention the girl looked just like an angel and this girl's name happened to be the same. A 'messenger of God'. Chaos narrowed his eyes and shrugged, deciding to take a chance to prove himself right. "I just thought that maybe your wings and name went hand in hand together."

Arianna's pencil suddenly snapped in two, and for a split second, fear flashed across her face before she covered it with a laugh. "Wings? Me? Very funny Chaos. I'm no angel, and I never will be."

Her reaction was enough to make him grin. "If that were true, you just proved my suspicions right. Fear was in your eyes, you stopped writing, and your pencil snapped in two. The reaction of someone caught off guard from shock. You wouldn't have to be shocked if you had nothing to fear or hide."

"I was just holding my pencil too tight, That's all." Arianna snapped, pulling her bag on the table to paw though it for another one, tossing the broken one in the bottom. "Besides, if I had any secrets, I wouldn't admit them to you here of all places."

"I wasn't looking for admittance. Just reactions." he replied and gave her a knowing look. "By the way, I intend to get those creds back."

"You got your outing already, don't push it. I'm not in the mood to play." Taking out another pencil, she tucked the bag in at her side. "One meal with you was enough." After a minute of thought, she added: "Besides, if I was really an angel, I wouldn't have gone out with you at all. Humans and angels can't breed, let alone date. If you think I'm lying, look it up." Her smile was sweet, but had a nasty- even hateful, edge. "I'll even give you a hint; it's in the book of Genesis."

"What I saw wasn't an angel, but a mere stereotypical look alike. Besides, despite the fact you're handicapped you don't seem the 'praise the Lord, Jesus Christ' type of person. More of a... splicer if you will." he kept his voice down low so no one but Arianna would hear. "I know about splicing and I know about it being illegal. I also know you of all people would have a very good reason to splice yourself and find a way to hide it." he gave her a condemning look. "You may be able to fool everyone else, but you can't fool me. I've been brought up to analyze everything thoroughly, look at every possibility and expect the unexpected. You know how the saying goes, it's always the quiet ones you least expect."

Arianna's eyes widened slightly in respect, but she refused to give any ground. "This changes nothing you know. If you try to rob anything in my territory again, you _will_ regret it. I promise you that much." Her voice was equally quiet, but still held an edge to it.

"I intend to take it back. We both have one on each other. You're illegally spliced and I'm a thief. Even if you wanted to go to the authorities about me you couldn't. Looks like you have to deal with me alone."

"Perhaps." Forcing herself to relax, Arianna returned to the notebook she'd been writing in. "But I'm not the only one who protects the city at night. Just remember that." Taking a deep breath she tried to focus. "You have a paper to write."

"Batman won't be an issue." was the last thing he whispered to her before turning back to the paper he was almost finished writing.

That night seemed hot, at least to Arianna. As she paced slowly back and forth waiting for batman to show, a pad of paper and a pencil in her hands. The brunette ignored the fallen feathers that marked the path of her pacing. She was wearing her flying outfit in the interest of modestly, but she kept pulling at the clinging fabric in distaste. Arianna had left the back door open so that her guest could come right in.

Finally making it inside her home, Batman emerged from the corner of her room when he was sure no one else had decided to accompany her inside. "You seem a little on edge tonight."

"I am. I've got a thief in my territory that won't quit." Arianna replied. "And I can't fly out tonight since my feathers are falling out." She smiled tightly. "Could you stake out the bank?"

"Alright. I'll see what I can find." he promised. "Take it easy."

"Will do." he replied and left using the window. He made rounds until he saw a man in a wolf mask running from a bank. 'How the hell did he steal something without setting off an alarm?' thought Batman and swooped down until he was face to face with the man. "Those don't belong to you."

"Beat it Batman."

"Sorry, I took up a personal request for me to watch out for you."

"Well thanks but I don't need a babysitter." Chaos, who had a slightly bigger frame than Batman, started to step around him.

"Apparently you do." Terry replied and stepped in Chaos's way.

"Look, I need these creds so either you move and let me go or I kick your sorry ass."

"I bet you twenty creds that it's not going to go down."

"I bet you this whole bag it will."

They stood there for a few moments until Batman made to grab the bag but Chaos pulled it away and brought up his knee to Batman's rib cage.  
Batman grunted in pain and forced himself to stand up. He raised his fist to punch Chaos in the throat but Chaos grabbed it with his free hand and dropped the bag so he could grab Batman's other hand.

Under the mask Batman could see nothing but repressed rage. He was about to kick Chaos in the gut but Chaos had another idea. He turned and whipped Batman into the air. When Batman was concentrating on trying not to land on his face, Chaos grabbed the bag and high tailed it through the wall next to him, kept going until he found his apartment building, and dashed inside. He put the bag on his bed and plopped down, his chiseled chest heaving up and down.

Bruce's voice came in though the suit's intercom. "Terry, are you all right?" He asked, keeping an eye in the screen the displayed his vitals.

"Ugh, I think so. I think he kneed my floating rib or something 'cause that really hurt." he said and knelt over, holding his side to try to stop some of the pain.

"If he roughed you up, do you think he hurt her during her encounter with him?" Terry's mentor asked. "Are you going to tell her that he escaped?"

"He could, as could I, but he won't hurt her. He could have done a lot worse than he had to me but all he did was hurt my rib enough so I wouldn't be able to run after him and then toss me aside."

"True…" Bruce's voice sounded thoughtful. "What will you do now?" He asked. "Are you going to go report back to her?"

"I have no choice. When the bank finds out they're missing creds it'll be all over the news and she'll find out."

There was silence for a moment. "Terry… I think there is something wrong with her. Be careful."

"No kidding. The tension in that room was unbearable. Can you imagine how pissed she's going to be when she finds out I failed?" he asked and painfully opened his arms so his black and red wings came out and he flew back to Arianna's place. "Damn," he said. "My ribs... I can't fly too much longer."

"Come back when you are done. I'll have the kit ready." Bruce replied before standing and leaving the room to make sure he had everything ready.

Arianna was sweating heavily as though it was the heat of summer, and was now nude as a Greek statue. She was still pacing and writing, but this time she was doing so in front of five test tube vials and two thicker notebooks that were on the counter beside her. Feathers littered the room, which made it look like the aftermath of a pillow fight. A heavy musky scent filled the room that Terry hadn't noticed before. "Is it done?" She snarled at the open door, having heard Terry land, but not bothering to face him.

He held fast onto the wall with one hand and his rib with the other hand. "No, he got away." he said in a tight voice. The pain from his broken rib was getting worse with every breath he took.

Enraged, Arianna turned to face him, but stopped when she saw batman was hurt. Ignoring her nakedness, she tossed the notepad and pencil in her hands on the table next to the couch, Arianna moved as quickly as she could to his side. "We will discuss this later when I have your full attention." This was all she said as she led him to her couch so that he could sit down.

Batman took a seat and hissed on the way down. He tried to hold his breath but he couldn't any longer and it came out in a pained huff. "Can't stay..."

"Don't be a fool. You can't fly in this condition." The brunette snapped. "I'll need to wrap up your ribs at the very least." Ignoring the angry red marks on her skin where she had been touched, Arianna gingerly felt his ribs. "I would help you back to your mentor's lair, but that would be a very bad idea right now."

"Don't worry about it. If he had any objections he would have said something by now." replied Batman and decided to co-operate since he was in no condition to argue or fly away. "Do you know the ass that did this?"

"I recognized him… Terry's gonna be so pissed. His name is Chaos Blaze. I went out to dinner with him the other day." She replied, feeling him with gentle hands. Then stood, cupping her wings for balance, and walked to the bathroom. "I take it that the suit is a one-piece?"

Batman's eyes widened in shock and then in rage. Oh yes, Terry was pissed all right. "Yeah it's a one piece." he replied and winced when he moved.

She sighed and retrieved her medical kit. "In that case, I'll have to bandage you up while you are in the suit and trust that that will be good enough." Returning to the living room, she placed the kit next to him and knelt in front of him again.

"This Chaos guy you mentioned," he started. "Have you thought about going out with him again?" he winced as she applied the bandages onto his broken rib.

"No, that was just a one-time thing." Arianna answered, making sure the bandages were tight around him as she went. "He was nice on the date but… time is running out for me and playtime is over. I can't afford to get attached to a human of questionable character this late in the game, especially one that I can't predict or control." Her voice was cold and toneless, hoping that batman wouldn't notice how red her hands were getting. Her mind was already turning back to the notepad she'd been writing in. She focused firmly on her planning in an effort to distract herself from the heat.

As Arianna wrapped the last of the gauze, he thought about everything he did that night that got him in that position. It wasn't smart to stop and talk, and it certainly wasn't smart to stop him and not take into account that he would have retaliated. What he needed then was a friend. A friend to vent and comfort him when he was like this. He couldn't turn to Arianna, she didn't know who he was. Who he needed the most right then was Max. Unfortunately, she was still angry with him. The only thing he could do was take as much of a breath as he could and hope for the best.

"Finished." Arianna sat back on her heels, flexing her burning fingers. "Sit there and rest for a few minutes."

Batman did as he was instructed and gave a sigh. "You never feel like you just want to stop time and take a rest?"

She rose to her feet and sat on the table instead. "Ever since my mother died, yes."

"Glad I'm not the only one." he put his head back. "And to think I do this out of the kindness of my own heart."

"There are days I wish I could leave this city, to start over in a place with no memories..." Arianna shook her head, drawing her wings around herself to be polite to her guest. "But I can't and I won't. I won't run away."

It was then Batman realized she was nude. "I don't mean to pry or anything but, why are you naked?"

Arianna didn't even hide her smirk. "It's hot in here." She replied. "I didn't want to ruin my clothes."

"It's freezing. All the windows are open and it's getting windy outside."

"Not to me it's not." as she spoke, she brushed a feather loose and watched it fall to the feather-covered floor. "It must be a miracle that you aren't killed every night... you aren't very insightful for being batman's heir."

"I'll let that one slide. You sure there's nothing else going on? You're molting like no tomorrow here."

"I'm molting because I'm currently in breeding mode." Arianna replied, rising to her feet to pace in front of the counter again. "No, I'm not going to jump you, you are only a human. Although if you were one of my kind, ribs or no ribs, you would not be sitting there so calmly. I'm surprised that you haven't smelled it…" As she spoke, she stopped her pacing and cocked her head, studying him. "Then again, maybe you have to…" Her mismatched eyes widened suddenly and she burst out laughing.

Confusion ran through his mind. "Why are you laughing?" he asked, not appreciating the fact she was probably laughing at him. After all, she was the one that spilled the beans about being in heat.

Arianna was laughing so hard that tears were running freely down her fragile boned face. After several minutes, she finally took her glasses off and wiped her eyes. "Sorry batman. I'm happy because I just realized that my mother trumped that perverted doctor in the end after all. He may have been creating an army, but she went even farther than that."

"I don't understand you women." he grumbled.

The brunette sobered as quickly as she'd laughed. She was silent for several moments, but when she spoke again, it wasn't to him. "Doctor Able Cuvier used splicing to create his own private army, but mother went a step further. She created a new race: A race of angels." Getting up, she walked over and gently caressed one of the test tubes on the counter. "I don't know what her plans were, even though I saved all that I could before they demoed the house but… I'll try to fulfill mother's dream. All I can do is try."

Batman frowned. "A race of angels? To be an angel don't you have to be holy and sent down here by God? You can't make a race of angels if you have no angel DNA to go on."

She turned and smiled tightly, spreading her wings wide. "Batman, look at me and think about my appearance."

Embarrassed, Batman looked away instead. "Could you not do that? Terry told me you were spliced with a swan."

"I am. To my mother religion was just a tool. All humans can be angels; I was just given the wings." She shrugged and folded her wings again. "If people think I am an angel as well as those I choose, then all is well."

"Human's become angels when they die. Specifically by God. No human can change that." he countered. "However, if decide to name the race you plan on creating angels then good luck to you. I know differently."

Arianna shrugged again, then picked up one of the vials. Holding it loosely in her hand, her eyes dimmed sadly. "Only five..."

"What?"

"I only have enough for five people: three males, two females." She set the vial aside, a little apart from the other four. "The first must be my... mate."

Batman raised an eyebrow that went unseen due to his mask. "Any ideas on who you want as THE ONE?"

"No, not now. There's no one I trust." She turned her back on Terry and gripped the counter hard, her knuckles going white as her body tensed up, looking like a taunt bowstring.

"I wish I could help but unfortunately my own love life is non existent." he got up as slowly and as carefully as he could. Batman walked over to her and but stayed a far enough distance away that he wasn't overbearing. "I'm sure you'll find someone who will love you as much as you love them."

"I will be a Queen Batman. Love will not apply to me." Arianna answered. "It is a dream that won't exist to me." She shook her head. "Don't worry, there won't be any inner breeding of my kind and humans no matter how bad my Molt gets."

"How can you be sure of that? Maybe it's bad now but things always get worse."

Without looking at him, she thrust out her arm. "Touch it."

He did as she asked. "Nothing?"

With a pain-filled smile, she moved his hand aside, revealing the angry red mark on her otherwise fair skin. "Only pain will come from a human's touch."

Batman took a step back even further. "I better go. My mentor will want to examine me."

"And I need to get back to my work." Resuming her seat on the couch, Arianna pulled the pencil out from behind her ear, ignoring the mark on her arm. "Plans must be made for the future of my people."

"Very well." he left through the window after he pushed the button for his jet to come to the window. He carefully got in and flew to Bruce's mansion.

Once back at the batcave, Brace frowned at Terry. "She did all right considering what she had to work with. However, you look upset. Did the two of you have a fight?" He sat in his chair, prepared to wait all night if need be.

"It's nothing really. Just her plans for a new race she wants to create. It's complicated. I don't really want to talk about it right now." he said and winced when he moved. "How long do you think I'll have to sit out of being Batman because of this?" he asked, indicating to his ribs.

"You'll be out easily a week, maybe two." Bruce said as he undid Arianna's work. "She did very well bandaging you up." He worked in silence for several minutes. "I did some scouting and research while you were at school today."

"Thanks." he said and sighed. "I can't be out of commission for a week or two. Gotham needs someone to protect it in batman's place until I'm better."

"Why not ask Miss Angel?" Bruce asked. "If nothing else, she can simply keep an eye out for trouble spots and report back."

"She can't go all over Gotham. The cops will spot her. I can only ask her to do her own territory nightly."

"If it's any comfort, her territory is very clean, if filled with candles. I passed though it today." He shrugged. "The candle shops must be doing good business. Either that or they are making their own. I'm not sure." He thought for a moment. "When you are better, I believe that I should meet this 'Angel of Gotham'…"

"No. If you meet her she'll know who you are and she'll figure everything out. I can't risk that. _We_ can't risk that. I don't want to complicate her life anymore than it is. It's best if she knows little to nothing about any of this. Besides, she's trying to keep a low profile. If she comes out in the open all over Gotham she's going to be found. I can't ask that of her."

Bruce favored his apprentice with a sharp glance. "Terry… She isn't the same person that you grew up with anymore. If she is truly trying to choose other people to share her abilities with, she'll pull away entirely from her human cousin. One person can hide, but two or more?" He shrugged. "I thought that I could play the befuddled old man and try and find out what really is making her tick now."

"She's too smart not to figure something out, Mr. Wayne." Terry fixed Bruce with a look of his own. "Besides, she has other things to worry about besides her cousin being Batman and getting the crap kicked out of him."

"True. She needs to find a companion and quickly." Bruce nodded.

"I know. I'm sure she'll find someone soon. In the meantime, I need to figure out how Gotham will be saved until I'm better."

A few more days passed and Arianna still wasn't at school. Chaos, who had at least another month's worth of creds, noticed her absence not only for that day, but also for all the other days that she had missed classes. Out of curiosity, he decided to go visit her after last period.

Driving up to her small house, he got out of his vehicle, stalked over to the door, and knocked twice.

Shuffling to the door, Arianna freed one hand to open it. "Yes. Who is it?"

Chaos kept silent and just knocked twice more, knowing that if he said something she would completely ignore the fact he was there.

Tying the robe a little tighter over her pajamas, she opened the door. "Chaos? What is it?" Arianna, to put it lightly, looked like hell. There were dark circles under her mismatched eyes, having not bothered with the contacts, and her natural honey-brown hair looked dull and lifeless.

Chaos raised an eyebrow. "Looks like you could use a coffee." he commented.

Shaking her head slowly, she opened the door wider and backed up to let him enter. "That wouldn't improve matters Chaos."

"What matters?" he asked, having no idea of the condition she was in. He stepped into her home and took in the details of his surroundings.

"I'm not feeling very well." She replied, turning to resume her perch in the nest she'd made out of the couch with the help of a few pillows and thick blankets. "How's the project going?"

"It's done, I just need you to look over it and make sure there's no mistakes." he replied. He was silent a moment. "Was it you who sent the Bat after me or was he there by coincidence?"

"I asked him to fly a sweep for me since I couldn't fly at the time." She replied calmly, snuggling into her corner.

"I see. He got hurt in the process." he remained passive for a moment. "Are you feeling all right? You look sick."

"Didn't I already say that?" Arianna asked, pulling one of the blankets around her as though it was cold in the room. "Yes, I know batman was injured, because I patched him up when he reported back to me."

"I know you already said you aren't feel well but what I meant was have you seen a doctor for what you have?" he asked. "And next time, don't send out lackeys, especially when they can't hold up their own."

"No." She gritted her teeth for a minute as pain darkened her mismatched eyes. "A doctor can't help me." Relaxing into her blanket, she turned her mind back to the second part of what Chaos had said. "I am the only one of my kind, but batman was better than nothing at all."

"What do you mean?" he asked, referring to what she said about her being the only one of her kind.  
Narrowing her eyes, Arianna reminded herself that she'd already broken one 'talon' on him, and that it wouldn't help matters to break the rest on his annoying hide. "Do you really think that I would send a human to do my job if it could be avoided?" She growled out.

Chaos' eyes narrowed. "Cool down there sparky, it was just a question." he came further into the room. "What's wrong with you? You haven't been at school and you're temper is as easy to snap as a twig."

It hurt far too much to be tactful. "I was in heat, now I'm dealing with the aftermath of it." She let out a deep breath. "The worse the heat, the more I bleed."

"I see." was all he said, not really understanding but at the same time, understanding. "Have you eaten anything?"

"I'm not hungry." She answered. "Besides, it's too much effort to cook anything right now." Arianna fought the impulse to go back to sleep, which was what she had been doing before the knock on the door woke her up.

Chaos raised an eyebrow. "You're going to eat something whether you like it or not." he said and pulled her up off the couch. "You're far too light. Not eating doesn't help, it just makes things worse."

Arianna opened her mouth to say something, but stopped with the effort of keeping her balance. She leaned against him for support, wrapping one arm around his waist while she caught her footing. "My crutches..."

He leaned over and grabbed her crutches for her. "Here." he tried not to blush as she wrapped an arm around his waist. He led her into the kitchen and sat her down. He raided through her fridge and cupboards. "Anything in particular you want?"

"I think I have an apple and some grapes left. There should be some veggie instant soup in the cupboard under the microwave. I think I ate all the noodle bowls already..." She watched him through a pain-filled haze as she pushed her glasses back up her nose, absently noting that the offerings were rather slim since she hadn't been doing her usual rounds.

Chaos raised an eyebrow. "Do you, or do you not eat meat?" he asked. This girl was not going to suffer with just fruit and vegetables if she could eat other things.

"I _can_ eat meat, although seafood is my preference, most of the time though I just eat what's around that's quick and easy to make." Arianna raised her eyebrow in return. "Why?"

"Because I'm going to make you something to eat, just stay here." he said and walked to the door. "I'll be back in ten minutes," he said, planning to drive to the food store a couple blocks down the road. "Have a little trust in me." was all he said before opening the door and preparing to head out the door.

The brunette looked completely flummoxed, but nodded. "O…kay." She answered slowly, as though agreeing with him was going against her better judgment, but was too tired to fight with him about this.

"Good." was all he said before he closed the door behind himself. As promised, he came back ten minutes later with bags of food. From fresh fruits to raw meats to already cooked seafood. He set everything down on the table. "Anything in particular you want or will the seafood do you for now?" he asked, putting the shrimp, crab, lobster and fries down in front of her.

Her mismatched eyes lit up with interest for the first time that day. "Shrimp." The young queen licked her lips in greed as she eyed the choices in front of her, ignoring the deep growl from her empty stomach.

"Help yourself Angel." He motioned to the food and put the rest away in the fridge.

Needing no other prompting, Arianna dug in with surprising ferocity, all of her attention focused on her meal. Watching her eat this way was a clear reminder and a warning that despite her current appearance, she was not a human. However weak she might have looked, you got the sense that right now it would be worth someone's life to attempt to share her meal.

"Slow down, the last thing you want is to choke." he advised and sat down next to her with an apple in hand.

She snarled softly, but obeyed, using her nails to get every last scrap of meat out of the shell.

Chaos grinned when he noticed that way she was eating. "You know, the way you're scraping at the shell reminds me it'd be talons instead of a fingernail."

"They still have a bit to go; I need to get some nail strengthener..." Arianna paused to eye the middle finger of her left hand with displeasure. "Can't have them breaking on me if I'm in a fight."

"No that wouldn't be good at all." he mused and sat back. Minutes passed as he enjoyed his apple. When he was done, he threw out the core. "When is this aftermath going to be done?"

She stared off into space for a minute, mentally counting the days. "It's been a blur, but I think it's been two days now, so it'll be another day or two before it lets up enough for me to return to class."

"Good. We present everything next week." he commented. "Also, I have a small surprise for you but you'll need to be in top shape for it. No mood swings."

Pushing aside the remains of the shrimp shells, she began to munch on the fries. "Okay. Need me to do anything? And what's the surprise?"

Chaos winked at her. "Wouldn't be a surprise if I told you now would it?"

She eyed him. "Truth." Arianna conceded. "Yet a little hint would be nice."

"Dress nice." was the only hint he gave her. "I may be a thief, but I know class. My father is, after all, a wealthy business man."

Arianna laughed. "Sounds like a date to me." She teased.

Chaos grinned. "My lips are sealed," he said, not revealing any more information. Especially since she got it right. He was setting them up on a date.

Since her ploy didn't work, she returned to her fries. "Did I miss anything else?"

"No. All he does is give us the period to work. I think he's just lazy. Oh, that McGinnis boy you seem so infatuated with, he and Max got into a bad fight today in the hall, ended with her slapping him and Mcginnis storming off. He was limping though. Wonder what he did to himself."

Her lips twitched. "I wouldn't know. Maybe he was fooling around or something." Pushing away her empty plate, she rose from her chair with a wince. "Could you please put the rest away for me?"

Chaos nodded. "Sure. What's the deal with you two anyway? Every time he's mentioned you get this certain look."

"We were very close once, but we broke up." Placing her wrists in her crutches before standing, she smiled. "His loss, not mine."

"You two were a 'thing'?" he asked, masking his jealousy as best he could.

"I was a rebound." Arianna corrected calmly. "There's a difference." She shrugged. "Like I said, it was his loss, not mine."

Not long after this, Chaos left Arianna's place after making sure that she was going to be all right for the night, vowing that he would soon make her forget about McGinnis. As he got back into his car, he felt a smirk begin to spread his lips. With a little patience, maybe he too could grow wings... he couldn't wait for their first real date...


	5. Chaos's Date and a Child's Death

Author's note: Sorry for the long wait everyone, things got a little crazy on both ends. Thank you again Inu-midoriko for still putting up with me. Please enjoy the chapter and remember to leave a review!

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The night of the date, Chaos dressed in a tailored suit with a black tie. He wasn't nervous in the least bit, which was unusual for most guys. Usually they worried over the girl laughing at them or the date going horribly wrong. He walked up to the door and knocked twice. Putting one hand in his pocket, he leaned on the wall closest to the door.

A minute later, Arianna opened the door enough to see who it was and smiled. "Hello." Moving to the side, the brunette opened the door so she could step out. She wore a modest white dress with embroidered vines and tiny flowers along the neckline and hem. The sides of the dress had long slits to allow for easy movement. Although the dress appeared to be sleeveless, she wore a white suit jacket over it.

Chaos smiled at her. "You look nice." he led her to his jeep and opened the door for her. "Any particular time you want to be home at?"

"Thank you very much, so do you. Around midnight should be fine." She smiled again as she eased her way carefully in the car. Once safely inside, she leaned her crutches in the backseat.

The dark haired man pulled out of her drive way and drove down a few blocks until they got to a restaurant called, 'L'amor'. Everything in the place was beyond over priced, so naturally only the rich could attend. Chaos found a spot to park and helped her out of her seat. He gently took her arm and led her inside. "I have a reservation."

"Ah, Mr. Chaos, welcome. Right this way." Once they were seated and they had menus, Chaos read the menu, quickly deciding what he wanted and then looked at Arianna. "Do you like it?"

Arianna's eyes were wide as saucers. "It's rude to gawk, but I can't help it. I've never been to a place like this."

Amused, Chaos smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Father owns the place so it's not too hard for me to get an all access passes."

"Your Father!" She turned pale. "He's not going to inspect me is he?"

Chaos chuckled. "Father doesn't care what I do or who I date. Besides, you've presented yourself nicely so there's no need to inspect anything."

The brunette relaxed. "I'm glad to hear that and I'm also glad that I look all right. Compared to the other ladies in this place my dress must look rather plain..."

"The other ladies are also only here for the money. You are here because I asked you to be here... with perhaps a little blackmail on my part, but point is, I think you look a lot nicer than the other women here. You don't need to dress fancy to look good."

She fairly glowed at his praise. "Thank you. Thank you very much Chaos. Do you have any suggestions about what to eat?"

Chaos grinned. "Don't mention it. I would recommend the seafood combination. You get ice cream of your choosing for dessert."

Her grin was wicked and her light brown eyes gleamed. "Cool."

"You have no idea. I get that for the dessert that follows. Sometimes you even have the option of sprinkles or hot sauce." realizing he probably sounded foolish; he cleared his throat and ushered over a waiter. "We're ready to order."

"Very well sir. Madam?" he asked, turning to Arianna.

Choking down her laughter, her reply was demur and polite. "I'll have the shrimp scampi with the salmon fillet please."

"As you wish. And you, sir?"

"Cheese Capelleti please."

"Of course, and will you two be staying for dessert?"

Chaos grinned and looked to Arianna. "Only if you want to." he said to her.

"Let's save that for another time." Arianna smiled at Chaos. "This evening is magical enough as it is."

"Alright. No dessert tonight, Jones."

"Yes sir. Your meal will be ready shortly." with that he moved back to the kitchen to tell the chief of their orders.

Arianna smiled. "You love this place don't you?"

Chaos' grin only widened. He was slowly growing more and more attached to this girl. His respect for her grew tenfold. She was offered something extra yet she didn't take up the offer and that was something he admired in people, in her. "Yes, this is my favorite place to go when I'm not doing too well."

This made her laugh softly. "I can't blame you; anyone who eats here has to leave feeling like royalty. If they don't then clearly they don't have any taste at all." Arianna told him warmly.

Feeling relaxed, Chaos gave her a smile of his own. "Thank you," he said and put a hand on hers, "for coming with me."

"You are welcome, though I am still curious as to why." She raised her eyebrow in an invitation.

Chaos shrugged. "Why not? I find you interesting. You must find something about me interesting for actually agreeing to having dinner with me."

She smiled. "I thought I bugged the living daylights out of you." Arianna couldn't help but point this out. Considering that he still had his hand on hers, this may or may not have been a wise move on her part.

"No. I'm just quiet with a glare full of daggers." he explained. He took his hand off of hers but kept it close. "If anything I'm sure it's I who does the bugging. After all, didn't I steal creds from your territory after you warned me not to and then injured your substitute? How is he, by the way?"

"He's healing well, there was no permanent damage," She shrugged, "thanks to you, now I know better than to leave things in someone else's hands when I need then done correctly. It will not happen again."

Chaos grinned. "Good. I look forward to seeing you in action again."

"You won't be so happy the next time; I am very cross during my cycles."

"Who said it would be during your cycles?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm more deadly during that time, and if I'm pissed at you to start with..." She left the sentence hanging like the threat that it was.

"You don't have to be pissed. It's not my fault you let me get under your skin." he said and paused his conversation with her when the waiter came with their food.

"Enjoy, sir, madam."

"As I was saying, you don't know when I'll strike next. It could be after our date, in a week from now or after a certain activity."

Now she smirked. "That's why I never said I was taking the night off tonight." So saying, she picked up her fork and speared a piece of her shrimp.

"Did I strike a nerve?" he taunted and struck a piece of his own capelleti.

"No." She put the shrimp in her mouth, closing her eyes in ecstasy at the taste.

He grinned wickedly at her expression. "Worth having to deal with me, isn't it?"

She opened her eyes long enough to glare at him before swallowing and cutting a piece of her salmon.

"So, since we're here, lets get to know each other a little better hm?" he asked as he forked three pieces of capalletti and eat them gingerly.

She cocked her head to the side. "What exactly do you want to know?"

"Everything." he said. His wicked look changed to sincerity. "In return, you can ask anything you want about me." he said and stopped eating.

After a minute of thought, Arianna put down her fork. "I can't tell you everything, not here anyways. However I will tell you that 'Angel' is my name, just not my first name."

Understanding what she meant, he nodded. "We'll save that discussion for another time then?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded in return. "In case you were interested my full name means 'Very holy Messenger of God'." As she spoke, she took another bite.

"That's very unique. I like it." he said and resumed eating.

"I find the meaning of my name to be rather ironic considering for all I know my real mother could have been a whore and my father who-knows-what." Arianna smiled a bit bitterly as she ate.

"You don't know that. You can't judge what you don't know."

"True, but then again, I'll never be able to forgive them either."

"Why is that?" he asked and titled his head in curiosity.

"They abandoned me without so much as a letter explaining why."

"How old were you?"

"I was only a baby; mom said I wasn't even a week old when she found me."

"That's cowardly. I don't understand how someone could do that to their own child," said Chaos. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself down.

"It was cold that night, mom had just gotten out of the lab, imagine her surprise when she found me on the hood of her car. She took me in without even thinking about it." Arianna took three angry bites before continuing. "Even tried looking for them so she could press charges, when that failed, she formally adopted me."

Chaos smiled. "I'm glad she did."

"Unlike most parents, she told me the whole truth from the getgo, so I never wanted to know who my real parents were." Arianna shrugged. "Mother didn't believe in sugarcoating the important things. She always told me 'Angel-child, if you are old enough to ask me a question that you really want to know the answer to, then you are old enough to hear the answer'."

Chaos nodded in agreement. He liked that as well. Nothing was ever sugar coated for him either. He liked it that way because then he wouldn't be completely shocked if the real truth ever came out. "Well," he started, "there's one upside to your parents abandoning you."

"I don't call them my parents. I only have one mother as far as I am concerned."

Chaos shrugged, deciding to drop what it was he was going to tell her for now. "Have you ever been to a movie theater before?"

"Once or twice, but I didn't go very often. I was more of a homebody than anything else."

"What about a drive-in?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know there was one still in Gotham city."

Feeling smug, Chaos grinned. "I know a guy who knows a guy."

Now the other eyebrow went up. "You must know everyone in the city or close to it."

Chaos stayed quite so they could finish their meal. He didn't want to say or ask something that would ruin her appetite. He eyed her for a few moments, wondering how anyone could abandon such a cute creature. At realizing what he was thinking, he flushed and went back to his meal.

As they finished their meals, Arianna gave Chaos a contented smile. "Thank you again for bringing me here. That was a wonderful meal!"

The dark haired teen smiled. "I'm glad you liked it Angel." he finished his meal off and got the bill a few moments later. He gave the waiter his card with the needed amount of creds plus the tip he new the waiter was waiting for, "So, would you be interested in going to a drive-in movie?" he asked.

Arianna glanced at his watch. "Is there one open this late?" She asked.

"There aren't any showings tonight but there will be in a couple days. They've got a list so you can choose one when we get there if you're still interested."

She flashed him a smile. "Sure, I wouldn't mind going." In her mind, Arianna decided that she wanted to keep close tabs on Chaos until she had decided what to do about him.

After the bill was paid and Chaos made sure she was ready to go, he led her out to his jeep and drove back to her place. "Going out tonight?" he asked.

"Yes, why?" Arianna asked, stopping mid-reach for her crutches. Her face was turned towards him, but it was carefully expressionless.

"Just wondering. Might see you tonight." he winked at her. Although it sounded as if he was going to go off and steal more creds, he was actually going to go for a walk around the area to see if he could spot her.

"Maybe." She answered peacefully, managing to get her crutches out from behind him and started to get out of his jeep.

He got out of his vehicle and rounded the front before she got out, helping her down since it was a far reach. "You okay?" he asked.

She leaned on him for a minute to regain her footing while she adjusted her crutches. If she felt at all uncomfortable with being so close to him, or disappointed that he didn't notice, Arianna did not show it. Getting her bearings, she pulled away from him. "Thank you for the pleasant evening."

"You're welcome. Oh, and about the day on the track field..." he looked away for a moment, slightly embarrassed. "I apologize for my behavior. It was rude and uncalled for."

"You almost made me break something. As it was, the bruises lasted for a while." She gave him a sharp look. "I forgive you though."

Chaos smiled slightly but said nothing as he led her to the door. Once she was inside and he was at the frame of the door, he asked, "What does it cost to be a Nephilim?"

"It costs everything Chaos." The brunette hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to invite him in. "The splicing that most people are familiar with was nothing compared to this."

He went inside and faced her. "What do you mean? Is it painful?"

For an answer, she quietly shrugged off the coat she was wearing. The wing slits were clearly visible, and looked like barely healed cuts. "My mother chanted a mantra the night I was 'reborn': 'The price is pain'. I wasn't just changed on the outside; I was changed from within as well." Making her way over to the couch, Arianna took her usual seat. "Splicing was supposed to be purely surface. No one ever bothered to realize that this could never be the case. Even in the diluted form that the rest of Gotham city used so recklessly, splicing changes people. They also never wrapped their heads around the fact that just because you had it removed didn't mean the internal changes went away either."

Chaos nodded his understanding. "What animal do you think would suit me best?" he asked and opened his arms so she could get a better look at his figure.

"Panther." She answered immediately. "It suits your personality." Arianna stretched, wincing when a joint popped with a snap. "Youch… that was a sharp one…"

"Panther huh? Do you have any panther formula so I can splice too?"

Wordlessly, she shook her head. "My mother had a purpose when she created the splicing technology, and it wasn't for what other people think splicing is."

"What was that other purpose?"

Arianna removed her contacts and put on her glasses before answering, blinking in relief. "The short story was that she wanted to create an alternative to Batman."

"An alternative? Meaning what? If Batman were to die you would step in?"

"Not exactly." She thought for a moment. "Bear with me: What is batman's greatest weakness?"

"Innocent people getting hurt?"

She shook her head. "No, his greatest weakness is that he is divided. He isn't batman twenty-four hours a day."

"In other words, when Batman isn't able to be at a crime scene, you'll take over."

"It's a little more complicated than that, but you have the general idea." A shadow of pain crossed her face, and she stood up. "Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to change, my wings are getting cramped." Without waiting for an answer, the brunette left the room quickly, but not before Chaos saw the twin thin trickles of blood sliding slowly down her back.

Chaos sighed and wondered if he would have to suffer any amounts of pain if he were to be spliced.

A few minutes later, she returned without her crutches and wearing her flying outfit. "Sorry about that." Arianna resumed her seat, but this time she sat on a stool and motioned him to sit on the couch.

He did so and cocked his head at her curiously. "If I were to agree to any terms you wished of me, would you splice me?"

"No." Arianna shook her head. "I only have a limited amount, and I have to be _very_ careful who I choose." She smiled sadly. "If I spliced you, there isn't a reverse formula. This changes everything from appearance right down to the marrow of your bones... not to mention the other ah... affects." Arianna brushed her hair away from her face, trying not to blush.

"What other effects?" he asked, frowning from having been rejected.

"Birds go into heat just like any other animal." She snapped. "And I don't recommend breeding with a human."

Chaos chuckled in amusement and couldn't help but tease her. "Is that why you weren't at school? Were you in heat?"

"You know that was the case! I told you that when you came by to visit me." Arianna glared at him. "More to the point, it's shouldn't be possible."

The teen only grinned even more at her distress. "Forgive me, Angel, it's just I don't fully understand everything since I don't know from first hand experience. Do you have copies of how to make the formula?"

When he called her 'Angel', the brunette frowned. "You may as well call me Arianna." She told him. "To answer your question, I don't know. I saved as much of mother's notes as I could, but I haven't been able to go though them all yet." Her feathers rustled when she shifted. "I _do_ know that only a certain number were supposed to be given wings though, and then the formula was going to be destroyed."

"Why wings?" he asked. Certainly, her mother didn't want all one race. After all, there was usage for more animals than just birds.

"You can fly faster than you can run, and if your wings are waterproof you can supposedly perform water rescues." She smirked then. "Of course it could also just be because we look like angels, so we can gain the people's trust easier."

"Actually if you're a cheetah, you can run ridiculously faster than a bird. Cheetah's are the fastest land animal and I hate to break it to you but it exceeds the speed of a swan."

"Cheetahs also have to eat a _lot_ in order to maintain their metabolisms, not good if you are trying to keep a low profile." Arianna pointed out and shrugged "At least I can afford to skip meals if I'm pressed to." Then she frowned. "Still, I'll admit I don't know why she chose to focus on one... well, no, I know why now."

"Please, do enlighten me." he replied, all attention on her.

"The more times you get spliced, the greater the overall damage to someone's mind. It is bad enough to do it once, but you don't take into account _exactly_ what you are doing, you could be in for a world of hurt that in the long run can't be reversed." Arianna answered slowly. "Think about how crazy everything got, and that was in it's most diluted form!"

"Obviously filtering would have to be a necessity. However, I personally wouldn't mind any pain so long as I am spliced. I was never spliced before so I don't know what it's like."

Arianna narrowed her eyes. "You would have to break all emotional ties to the people around you if you did." She said quietly.

"I have no ties to anyone except my father and you."

Frowning, she thoughtfully drummed her left hand against the counter. "Do you know why I said that?"

"In case we ever needed to move away from everyone?" was the only guess he could think of from the top of his head.

She shook her head. "No human attachment means that the police can't use your family and/or friends against you." Arianna smiled. "The police really want to take me down."

"Don't worry. I don't talk to father unless it's about business, which I can end with a simple phone call."

She smirked, and then thrust her fingers to her temples to massage them. "Oy..." She muttered.

"What's wrong?" he asked and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm running potential candidates through my head and the answers I'm coming up with are not making me very happy." Arianna answered. "I can't afford any mistakes..."

"You already have candidates?" he asked but sighed with relief when he was assured she wasn't in pain.

"A few from back home, but I don't think any of them will fit. If at all possible, I don't want any volunteer wannabes... that would be just too messy." She got up and began to pace slowly. "As lonely as I am, I can't just take the first person that I see who wants wings."

"Filter them. I want in on what you're considering and its only natural you wouldn't trust me. What you need to devise is a test to see how loyal I am, or any other person is to you. If they really want it, they'll do anything for you to get it." he replied with a heavy thoughtful expression on his face.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath, spreading her wings wide in order to keep her balance when she stopped in place. "Give me a few days." Arianna said finally. "I need to think about this. This wasn't part of the plan yet…"

Chaos nodded, understanding that she wouldn't jump at the idea. Especially since he was the person giving the suggestions, the one she probably trusted least of all with a gift like hers.

After another minute, she turned and knelt besides the couch, picking up two large wicker baskets. After standing, she placed one on the counter, but began neatly packing the other with food and other dietary items- some of which came from her personal stores. "Full trip tonight…" Arianna murmured softly.

"Picnic tonight?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. She of all people should know that it's far too dangerous to sit outside and eat late at night.

"No, but I'm making a few more trips tonight than I normally would, and I can't carry a backpack." Arianna replied, she eyed the basket, then added a few more apples and oranges.

"Is it for you?" he asked, somehow not picturing her one for going on picnics alone at night.

"No, I'm visiting some of the people in my territory who needed a few things. This is only the food basket; some of the people are poor, so sometimes I help with the food. No child deserves to starve." Her hand balled into a fist. "I'll go hungry first before I allow a child to do so."

Chaos nodded his understanding. "Do you need help?" he asked.

She smiled. "Carry this one to the roof? I'll join you in a few minutes."

The dark haired teen took the basket from her and went straight to the roof. He had a decent view of the surroundings around the house and sighed. He didn't particularly like some of the things he saw, for example: vulgar graffiti, but if this was what she liked to do with her nights then who was he to stop her? He wasn't her lover so he had absolutely no say in what she did with her life.

A few minutes later, Arianna joined him on the roof. "Whew! this is a damn heavy basket..." She muttered, brushing a stray hair that had escaped from her tight braid.

"Are you ready?" he asked. "How do you plan to deliver both baskets if they're both heavy? You'll get tired fast."

"Once I'm in the air, I'll be fine." She assured him, getting her breath back. "I've done this before."

Chaos nodded and handed her the basket. "Be careful. Will I see you in class tomorrow?" he asked.

Arianna smiled and put the basket down. "Yep." Without further words, she plummeted off the roof and pulled out of the dive to soar, swooping back to get the baskets before heading off into the darkness.

After about an hour after Arianna left her roof and Chaos behind, Batman spotted her resting on the roof and cursed under his breath. What was she thinking? She wasn't disguised and her wings were in full view of anyone who decided to look up. He landed in front of her and angrily crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you think you're doing? You're not in your own territory and your wings are in full view of any onlooker! Is this your idea of keeping a 'low profile'?

She wiped another tear from her eyes, before looking up at her ally with a heartbroken tearstained face. "I just stopped for a minute, waiting for my eyes to clear." Pulling her knees tighter to her chest, she shook her head, ignoring the tears that kept sliding down her cheeks.

At that instant, Batman softened. "Why are you crying?" he asked and went to her side.

"A child died in my arms tonight while I was trying to convince the father that I'd help pay for the hospital bills, I'm backed into a corner with someone who absolutely will not take 'no' for an answer, and this same person seems to be angling to become my boyfriend... I deserve a good cry."

Batman sighed in sympathy for her. He had not yet held a dying child in his arms. Had not yet known what it was like to see death in a young child's eyes after hoping, pleading for their life to remain intact. "Come, I think it's time to go home."

Arianna didn't rise gracefully, but managed to get to her feet. Bending down to pick up her empty baskets, she sniffed. "I'll try."

In answer, Batman grabbed her baskets and stood in front of her with his back towards her. "Put your arms around my neck, I'll fly you home."

It was a measure of her disquiet that the proud young woman and future queen meekly did as she was told after wiping her eyes one last time.

Bruce spoke up then: "Terry... is that a good idea? Sooner or later, she's going to have to learn how to do this on her own."

Terry muttered, "I know but she needs me now. She's never been faced with something like that before."

"Neither have you."

"I know. Just trust me okay? I know what I'm doing."

Arianna felt too warm on his back, and though she'd tucked her wings in behind her, Terry could still hear the wind whipping through her feathers.

He took her back to her home, where an all too familiar jeep was parked in the driveway. "What's he doing here?" he asked Arianna when he landed in front of the front door.

Blinking, she looked up. "I thought he'd left. Why is he still here?" She made as though to slide off her ally's back, looking confused. When her feet hit the ground, she swayed, but regained her balance quickly. Folding her wings around her like a feathered cloak, she began to slowly make her way to her front door.

Batman followed close behind in case she fell but to his relief, she stayed on her own two feet.

Opening the door, she entered the room. "Chaos! I thought you'd left!" Arianna knew she looked a mess, but this seemed more important. "What's wrong?"

Chaos rounded the corner rubbing his eyes. Clearly, he had fallen asleep. "Sorry, I tried to stay up and wait for your return but-" he stopped talking when he saw Batman not a foot away from Arianna. "You," he stated. "What are you doing here?" he asked, fully alert, not forgetting he had seriously injured the bat the last time they met.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." replied Batman but offered no answer to Chaos' question.

"Yes, you were. But I got to it first, therefore you must answer first."

"Not a chance pal. The way I see it, you've got no right demanding answers from me."

"Like you do?"

"Yeah I do. See, unlike you, I'm a crime fighter. If I'm not mistaken, it was you who stole the creds and injured me to get away. Just like a criminal. If anyone has the right to ask questions, it's me."

Chaos stared long and hard at the bat. "I was waiting for her to return."

"Why? You're not her boyfriend."

Chaos glared at him. "Neither are you, yet here you are."

"This is different. She was hurt. Not like you could have done anything anyways. You sat here uselessly."

"Unlike you two, I don't have wings! I had to go by her word that she would return in a couple hours. Damnit Bat, you think you're all high and mighty because you save civilians and rescue damsels but here's a reality check for you pal, you're not as great as you think you are. Sure you save maybe twenty people a week, but what about the other people that you don't know about? The ones that aren't seen because you're busy with someone else? You may have cool toys and the FEDs to help you look great but you're no god. So I suggest you tone down your ego and quit making demands."

At first, Terry didn't know how to react so he kept quiet. "You know Chaos; you're not even worth my time. Get out and go home." both teens were tense and straight backed, both refusing to back down to the other.

"I'm not leaving, not unless Arianna gives the order."

The brunette numb to the boys fighting behind her, Arianna had made her way over to the couch, and sank down into the seat. She looked in a fog as she automatically flipped the TV on, her mismatched eyes glassy with pain. When the breaking news report came on however, that numbness turned to enraged grief. The police were blaming her for the child's death. Rocketing up from her couch before she shredded it, tears poured down her face again as a keening sound emerged from her swollen throat. The sound wasn't human at all.

"Grab her!" Bruce thundered in Terry's ear. "Do it before she hurts herself or decides to fly off!"

Batman was jerked from the argument when he heard the inhuman sound and grabbed Arianna around the waist a split second after Bruce made the command. Chaos also went to her and held her hands together to keep them from flailing. Both boys left their argument and probably wouldn't ever return to it.

"Arianna stop this!" hissed Terry.

She snarled, the keening stopped for the moment. "I want that lying bastard." Arianna managed to get out when she remembered how to speak again. It sounded like every word was a struggle to get out of her mouth, her nails digging into Chaos's wrists when she flexed them in reflex. It wasn't Chaos she wanted to hurt. "If they want to condemn me, that's just fine. However, I'm not going down alone."

"She means it Terry." Bruce warned, chilled by the tone in her voice. "That's a threat and a promise."

"No kidding," muttered Terry under his breath so only Bruce could hear him. "Stop this, I will find him and bring you justice. If you try to do it on your own you're only going to make yourself more known and less conspicuous."

"Batman's right, Arianna just let him handle it alright?"

She flexed her nails again, and then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. If it's not handled in three days..." Arianna left it hanging.

"Don't worry." he assured her and nodded to Chaos and, indicating it was okay for him to let her go. When he did, and there was no more flailing, Terry also let her go. "I'll take care of it, just trust me." he replied but in truth, had no idea how he was going to do it in three days while also juggling school. He did know that he would have to start tonight if he was going to win this. "Chaos, you stay here with her. Make sure she doesn't do anything rash."

At any other time, Chaos would have argued with him for bossing him around but given the circumstances, he only nodded in agreement.

Terry left after a quick good bye and immediately spoke to Bruce once he was airborne. "We need as many leads on this guy as possible to nail him for fraud. Do you think you can do some research tonight Mr. Wayne?"

"Already done: Name's Wilson Blade. He was cited once for domestic violence, but the charges didn't stick. My guess is that the mother of the child enlisted her help without asking him first."

"Perfect." he replied sarcastically. "Anything else on him?"

"Factory job- wasn't making much. A score of DUI's and disturbing the peace tickets, most of the latter were in bars. That's all I have right now. If you want the address, I'd suggest finding the mother and getting her to talk."

"Will do. Oh and another thing, I won't be going to school for the next few days, can you give mom an alibi for me so she can inform the school?"

"Worried she might blow?" Bruce asked, referring to Arianna. "I didn't like what I saw tonight."

"Yeah. I need to find this guy fast. Thanks, by the way." said Batman and with a determined look on his face, he soared deeper into the city of Gotham, seeking out Wilson Blade's wife.

It was near the very edges of the poorest block of Gotham, almost out of her territory. The house had seen better days, the paint peeling off the walls and the roof had shingles missing. He could have passed it by except for one thing: An old looking lantern with a sputtering red candle that could be visible to anyone who had a bird's eye view.

Batman landed swiftly on the front porch... or what was once a front porch and knocked curtly twice.

Someone shuffled to the door and opened it. The woman on the other side of the door would have been pretty except for the blue-black shiner and the defeated look in the eye that he could see. She said nothing, just stepping back so that he could enter the home.

"Uh...thank you." he replied, almost taken aback by her willingness to let him in. "Are you alone?" he asked, looking around for a second, more intimidating figure.

"Yes." The woman's voice sounded choked with unshed tears. "The angel said you would come if Wendy died. My husband is still at the police station."

"Do you believe the angel killed your daughter?"

"Never! She loved that child as much as I did, brought her special food and clothes she made herself. If she hadn't been hunted, I think she would have agreed to raise Wendy as her own as I asked her." She shook her head.

Terry frowned. "She had been with Wendy before? Tonight wasn't the first time meeting her?"

"No, she came here almost very night or at least twice a week. It depended on the signal I left out." She sighed. "The Angel loved us and honestly cared."

"I understand it that Willson has been in prison for domestic violence. Did he or did he not murder your child?" he asked, getting straight to the point now that he knew where Arianna has spent most of her nights.

"He did. She begged him to let her take Wendy to the hospital. I was locked in the bedroom. He came home when we weren't expecting it. She would _never_ hurt a child. Ever."

"I know." he said sadly. "We can bring him down. But first I need evidence of his abuse." He took out a camera to show her he meant to take pictures. "If you testify against him in court, we can put him behind bars."

Now she looked afraid, but nodded. "Should I get others to speak for her?"

"As many witnesses as you can. All of you will be protected until he's behind bars. Then you'll all be free." he replied and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Your daughter will receive justice."

"And the Angel? Will they stop hunting her?" The woman asked, pulling on a threadbare coat. "She is an angel, no matter how she got her wings."

"They will stop hunting her for the charges that have been accused to her but they won't stop hunting her for how she got her wings." he replied, knowing all too well what being on the FEDs opposite side was like.

Now the woman looked angry. "It looks like she was right after all..." The woman muttered, sitting at the table and beginning to write something on a pad of paper.

"Listen, I know it's angering, I wish they'd let up the search too, however, I need all the evidence I can get before your husband comes back home." he urged.

"The kitchen is over there." She pointed with one hand to the open door, but didn't look up.

Batman went into the kitchen and took pictures of the blood that splattered the cradle and walls. When he was done, he came back out and asked, "Do you have any wounds from him?" he asked, his heart going out to the lady.

"Just bruises that really hurt..." The woman smiled slightly. "I was planning to leave him, that's why I wanted to give the Angel my daughter."

Terry nodded, feeling sympathetic to her. "I'll need to take pictures as evidence."

"All of the bruises?" She looked surprised.

"Yes. The ones that look the worst." he replied

Swallowing, the woman put the pen down and slipped off the coat. "I hope you aren't squeamish." She said as she started to unbutton her dress.

"I beat up bad guys for a living, lady." he said dryly, steeling himself for when he saw all the bruises. He took pictures of the worst ones, the ones that had blood rise through the surface of her skin and a few others. "Thank you for being co-operative." he said and put his camera away.

"We help each other; the angel helped us, now we are finally helping her back. Though she's always been kind and never turned down our gifts of whatever we could spare."

Batman nodded. "Yeah...she's good that way." he said softly. "What are you writing." he inquired.

"I'm writing notes telling all the others that I can find within her territory that the Angel is in trouble and needs help. They know the story isn't true, but this will reassure them to wait for her to come back."

Batman nodded his approval of her actions. "Is there anything else that would help to bring him down?" he asked. "Anyone else you know of that doesn't like him but is forced to pretend to be his friend?"

"His boss." The battered woman answered promptly. "That would be my guess anyway."

Batman nodded. "Thank you. Also, I don't want you here when he returns. I have a friend that can offer you sanctuary until this is over."

She nodded, putting her coat back on. "I already have plans made. Can you give her a message for me?"

Batman nodded, ready to taken in what she was going to tell him.

"Tell her that Sandy says not to grieve too much and to keep visiting this old woman. If another mother offers a child, take it and we will help her. Better a child earns wings and is raised as an angel than lost altogether."

He ran through that in his head and nodded. "Alright, I'll relay the message as soon as I can. Is that all?" he asked.

The woman nodded, opening the door. "Thank you."

Batman flew from the house in a hurry. "Mr. Wayne, I'm coming to drop off the pictures. Have you got anything else on Willson yet?"

"No nothing, this guy's not an outstanding criminal Terry."

The teen sighed and nodded. "Alright. I think I've got enough evidence here to make a decent case." he replied and soared faster towards Bruce's Batcave.

"I wonder if Arianna planned on extending her territory..." Bruce said thoughtfully.

"Who knows. Let's just focus on getting Willson behind bars so she doesn't go after him herself."

"Good idea, I bet that she's sharpening her nails now as we speak."

"I wouldn't doubt it."


	6. A New Nephilim is 'born'

Author's Note: Thank you Inu-midoriko once again for all her hard work. Sorry it took so long, this chapter took a lot longer than we thought to complete. Please let us know what you think!

* * *

Max had an itch. Not just any itch, a suspicious itch. She had noticed that whenever the 'angel' had been sited, the next day or so Angel herself, wouldn't show up to school. It had been a day or so since the Blade child had died and Max had yet to see Angel drop into class.

Skipping lunch, she made her way to the computer lab and logged onto her account. Looking around to make sure no one was watching what she was doing; she hacked her way into the top-secret FED files. It took her exactly ten minutes to find a picture of Angel but the name that was under her picture wasn't Angel. It was Arianna. The facial structure was the same even if she'd changed her appearance. Frowning in confusion, she opened the case file.

Red-hot rage coursed through Max as discovered Arianna was Terry's cousin by adoption. So, Terry didn't trust her anymore huh? Well that was fine. She didn't need Terry. Except she felt empty and her heart ached with the mere thought of Terry not trusting her.

Shaking her head to focus, she read on further and was shocked to discover that Arianna was spliced with swan DNA, allowing her to have wings and appear to look like an angel.

Her eyes were wide with awe. If she were to be on Arianna's side, not only would it really get to Terry since he disapproved of splicing, but it could help her fit in with someone, with a race that didn't see as her just a tech nerd. She would be _the_ tech nerd for the one and only Angel.

Closing the files and making sure the FEDs couldn't trace the hacking back to her school, she got up from the desk and left, deep in thought. How would she get Arianna to trust her enough to let her on her side?

There would no doubt be a test of loyalty- which she was sure she could pass with no problem since there was no one she needed to be loyal to anymore.

Seeing Terry just down the hallway, she stopped and so did he. They glared at one another for a short time before Max shook her head as if to tell him he wasn't worth her time and left for class.

However, Terry wasn't one to be ignored by anyone and followed Max around the corner and grabbed her arm.

"Wait a second," he demanded. "Can we talk? This is getting ridiculous."

"Talk about what Terry?" she asked. "About how you've suddenly stopped trusting me?"

`"What are you talking about?" he asked, puzzled.

"I know about Arianna, Terry. I also know she's spliced," she hushed her voice for that one. "And I also know you know everything I just found out. Since when do friends just stop trusting one another?" she asked, a broken expression on her face.

Terry's own expression turned hard. "Since when do friends snoop around in their friends' business?"

"Good question Terry. I guess it happens because the friends you care about stop talking to you about everything."

"That's not true, you pushed me away first."

"You had it coming and that's no excuse to try and make amends or talk to me anyways."

"Now you're being a complete girl." he retorted.

It wasn't the right thing to say because by now they had attracted most of the students attention and Max's face lit red with embarrassment and rage. "I wasn't a girl before?!" before she thought about it, her hand came up and she launched it to strike Terry hard but he caught her hand in his and pulled her close to him. The seriousness in his gaze had her mesmerized for a moment. "Let go." she hissed.

"I never said you weren't a girl before. What the hell's gotten into you?"

"Perhaps the girl in me is starting to come out. But you wouldn't know anything about that because you never saw me as one anyway." she hissed, her cheeks flushed. Max yanked her hand away from his and sashayed down the hall. Her walk had the boys' heads turning and even Terry had to admit that her walk complimented her curves.

Sighing, he went straight for his locker. He wasn't staying, he had to retrieve a gadget he stored in his locker for Mr. Wayne. He certainly hadn't counted on seeing Max, much less arguing with her. Especially since now that he was more aware of the woman side of her rather than just the nerdy tech side.

Arianna was at school, but she'd risked a tardy by coming in late. She didn't want to face Terry right now. Instead of heading to the lunchroom, she headed to the roof, wanting nothing more than to be alone. Her heart still bled over Wendy's death, and now more than ever she had to be careful. Sitting on her knees, she leaned back against the wall and stared into space. '_What am I going to do? Chaos is _not_ going to give up... I need to find a way to make this work and fast. There's no way that I can give anyone else wings the way things are now. Honestly, is it even worth trying to save this city?_' She thought. "I should have left when I had the chance; Gotham isn't the only city that needs help." Arianna whispered aloud.

"Maybe not, but it's a good first start. Especially since Batman can't do it all alone." Max had been on the roof since she and Terry had their argument and was only vaguely surprised to see Arianna had come to school.

Jumping, she lost her balance and fell over. "Who's there?" Arianna snapped, scrambling to right herself.

"Relax, it's just me." said Max, coming to stand beside her.

Finally sitting back up, she examined the scrape on her arm. "What is it?"

Max shrugged. "I just came up here to think. However, I do have a question. What would it take for you to splice me?"

Arianna snapped her head around so fast that she almost killed herself. "Can't men keep their mouths shut!" She vented, fear dancing in her eyes, rubbing her aching neck. "Damnit! Should I just announce it to the whole damn school!"

Amused, Max grinned. "The boys didn't tell me anything. I figured it out for myself. See, I'm very good with computers, especially hacking into secret files the FEDs keep."

"Shit..." Arianna swore again. "I thought the contacts and the hair dye would be enough." She rubbed her head as though it hurt. "Sit down and tell me why."

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me, even if you don't splice me." replied Max and leaned against the railing. "Tell you what?" she asked.

"Why do you want wings?"

"Because I admire that the many people you help run to your defense when you've been falsely accused of something. Because I long to have the freedom you have in the air, even if it really is limited because of the police looking for you. You don't know how lucky you are to have the option of flying away if you really wanted."

"It has it's own costs Max. This is a permanent change, not just that superficial mockery."

"I figured as much." she replied and took a deep breath, ready to change her life style forever.

"And if you have a human boyfriend or love interest, forget it. Once you gain wings, you'll dump him because there won't be any common ground anymore." Her smile was bitter. "Believe me, I know."

"Is it the same with family and friends?"'

"More or less yes. You become something other than human. You might still love and care about them, but there is a line drawn in your mind you can never cross. The police think I'm a monster, they won't hesitate at all to use any human family or friends to break you."

"I hardly see my family as it is. My friends wouldn't miss me and I have no boyfriend." she said with no emotion although Terry's face popped in her mind for a split second. She was doing this to anger him and to be more than just a nerdy tech no one thought twice about.

"Not even my former cousin?" She asked.

Her expression caved and her look softened. "No, not even him."

"You know, if you gain wings, you'll never be able to be with him."

"I don't want him." she replied, frowning at such a statement. "Why do you say former cousin? Have you severed all ties with him already?"

"I did, the day he refused me. Terry doesn't like wings. There are only two choices, human or Nephilim. When he decided to remain a human, I let him go. It's ether one or the other, there will be no half-breeds."

Max nodded, a pang of hurt shooting through her. She wanted to make Terry mad but she didn't want him to reject her anymore than he already did. "As painful as it feels, I'd be willing to sever all human ties."

She frowned. "I'm not trying to pry, but I have to ask: Do you have a sex drive?"

Max's eyes widened at the question. "Uh... yes. As does everyone else."

She laughed. "I didn't, and it was rather a shock the first time I went into heat. And because I am the first, I had no relief until if faded a week later."

"You didn't seek someone out?" she asked.

"I couldn't. When you are changed, you can't mate unless it's with your own kind even if you _wanted_ to. Believe me, it hurts like hell, even being touched will feel like you've been burned. It was one of mother's safeguards to keep us separate from the humans."

Max nodded. "That's fine. I'm still a virgin."

She paused, then the girl decided something. "Is anyone coming? Or can that door be locked?"

"Everyone's in class." she replied and cocked her head in confusion.

The brunette took out her contacts and started to unbutton her shirt "There is one final price that you must see before you make your choice." She said calmly, turning her back on Max to show her the permanent mark of their kind. The skin around her wing slits were raw and looked like barely closed wounds. You could almost see the folded up wings moving under her skin as they split the skin open and emerged from her body, ignoring the blood that flowed freely down her back from her wings.

Max silently cringed. "Does it hurt?" she asked, indicating the slits in her skin.

"Every single time." Arianna answered. "I've grown accustomed to it, but the first few times are the worst. The price for being a Nephilim is pain: Pain in body and in your soul. You will be lonely, but you will never be alone. You will at once be worshipped and feared."

"I think I can handle that, and we won't be alone doing this. You'll finally have someone with you and I'll have someone to guide me."

Now she looked Max straight in the eyes. "We are not human and the human laws will not apply to us, but if you fail, you will kill us all with your failure. I will personally cut the wings from your body before you die if you turn against me." Her eyes were hard. "It is us against them, harsh yes, but it is needed right now."

"I wouldn't be here right now if I didn't want this." said Max. "Treachery isn't my forte, Arianna. You will soon learn that."

"There is no going back or changing your mind later. You know that right?" Arianna hissed as she withdrew her wings back into her body and cleaned up the blood calmly. "This will mean any children you have will not fit in with humans."

"Yes I realize there is no going back. Trust me, I want this." she said and smiled slightly at Arianna.

Arianna redressed. "You'll need to put your affairs in order then Max." Still facing away from Max, Arianna muttered. "Now if only I could decide to do about Chaos..."

Max raised an eyebrow in question. "Chaos?"

She growled softly. "He figured out who I really was, and he too wants wings."

"Is he not to be trusted? Sooner or later you're going to have to bring males into this. There would be no other way to reproduce if it were only females."

Arianna laughed. "That is a pity! The first time I met him, he nearly broke my leg. The second time, I caught him in my Nephilim form stealing from a bank in my territory, he also kicked batman's ass when I alerted him to the problem."

Max all out laughed at the last one. "Well at least he can fight. Has he not tried to prove himself to you since then?"

"He's courting me, and I'm all confused on the matter."

"Why is that?" she asked but smiled at the thought before loneliness entered her heart.

"Because I don't know if he's only using me to get wings or..."

Boys eyes often tell what they're thinking or what they're feelings are. Try searching his eyes as much as you can the next time you see him." she replied.

"I've never dated, I don't know how to..." She blushed. "Nobody wanted to date a cripple at my old school."

Max smiled at her kindly. "All you have to do is look into his eyes and your gut will tell you if he's being sincere."

She sighed. "The problem is I only was able to save five vials... so I can't screw up..."

This sparked Max's interest. "Five vials? Does it say how more can be made?" she asked, getting excited.

"I haven't gotten that far in my mother's notes yet... but I do know that only a limited amount was supposed to be made before the formula was destroyed," Arianna was frowning, "which makes sense."

"Yes, however, I can try to make sense of the notes and even make more if I can. If you'll let me."

Arianna thought about this. "Let's see how things go first. I don't want to make more in case we have to leave in a hurry."

Max nodded. "Understood. So, do I pass or do I need to be tested?"

"You pass, but if you want to do something extra I wouldn't say no. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?" Arianna replied.

"When do we get started?" she grinned and put a friendly hand on Arianna's shoulder.

"As soon as you get your affairs in order, you'll need to move in with me." She smiled. "You'll be 'reborn' as a fledgling, and I want to make sure I'm nearby so that you learn what you need to know."

Satisfied, Max nodded. "Count on me at your place within three days. I'll have to move my things in during that time too."

"Fine by me. Need help packing? And are you sure that you'll be able to say goodbye to your friends? You'll have to tell them something, otherwise they might come looking for you and discover that you aren't exactly human anymore." She smiled kindly.

Max nodded in understanding. "I'll tell them I've got a job and can start living on my own. As for my friends, I'll tell them I'm transferring elsewhere."

Arianna nodded, a respectful look in her mismatched eyes that hadn't been there before. "Good. You'll be one step ahead of me in many ways, but this still won't be easy for you."

Pleased, Max smiled, appreciating the compliment. "I'm ready for anything."

"Granted, I may have the groundwork for the training, but mostly we'll have to adapt it as we go. I won't know what type of wings you'll have until after it's done, and that will make a huge difference." Arianna frowned. "Really wish they hadn't demoed my home..."

"I think I'll take up your offer to help me pack. Wanna come over tonight? We'll have some girl chat too if you want."

"Sure." She put her contacts back in and reached for her crutches. "Mind if I ride with you? I don't have a car."

"No problem. Come on, we better leave before we're spotted by a teacher. Or someone else."

"Good idea." She followed Max without a word. After a quick pit stop by Arianna's locker, the brunette put on her coat and grabbed her purse. "Okay, where's your car at?" She grinned at Max.

Max grinned back. "Right around this corner." she replied and led the way around the corner to the exit doors. In the parking spaces there sat three cars, Max's was in the middle.

Arianna grinned. "I've never cut school before." She admitted as Max unlocked the car for them.

"No worries, you'll get phone calls like no tomorrow if the skipping continues but it's not really a big deal if you're caught up with all your work."

"I don't intend to do it very often. I just want my diploma and finish with it." Arianna took her seat and put her crutches in the back seat.

"I know how you feel. Only I aim to have the best marks. It made one guy that used to go to our school pissed enough that he tried to take me out, dressed up as a Joker to do it too."

"I used to get good marks, not the best, but high enough. However, I've had other things on my plate over the past few months." A smile quirked her lips. "School isn't everything."

"I know. There are too many personal things to deal with." she nodded in agreement and pulled out of the school.

"Exactly." Arianna said. "The police aren't giving me much of a break. Certainly I'm not being allowed to mourn her..."

Glancing over at Arianna in shock, she changed lanes. "They won't let you mourn your mother?"

"No, I wasn't allowed to attend her funeral or even allowed to slip in the funeral home to dress her in her favorite special clothes. The clothes I'd made for her. They were crawling all over the place. I couldn't even save my pets, let alone anything of personal value. My life was stripped of anything that once made me a human. Only Nephilim are my family now, and even that couldn't all be saved." Her voice was tight and cold. "They killed my pets you know, called them lab animals. I watched them do it that same night mother was murdered."

"Are you serious?! That's barbaric!" she exclaimed as her mood went from bad to worse. She pulled into her parent's driveway and stopped the car. She turned to Arianna and gave her a hug, not caring about the awkward position it was from their seated positions. "I'm so sorry." she said sympathetically.

"Thank you. I don't believe in the police anymore after that. Gotham is rotting and Batman alone can't stop it, not anymore. Their idea of justice is to cover things up, to make it so that the people will forget mistakes have happened. However, I won't forget, and I won't go away. They are offering a _very_ high price for my head right now, that's why the father said I killed his daughter. Maybe you haven't heard, but if I am caught, they have threatened to cut off my wings. What they won't say is that I will die in the process." She hugged back and twisted to reach for her crutches.

Stunned, Max got out and rounded the car to open the door and help Arianna out of the seat. "Are they aware you'll die?"

"I'm fairly certain that they know." She replied as she awkwardly got out. "Though I'm not entirely certain of that."

Max sighed. "We can't let them get you." she replied, truly sincere. Although she wanted the wings mainly to anger Terry, she found herself sympathizing, even liking the smaller girl.

"If you go through with it, you will face the same fate. The people in power really don't like the idea that Humans aren't the top species anymore." She smiled tightly, walking at Max's side.

Max inhaled deeply. "Another reason why they can't get you, if they get you, they'll get me." she smiled. "Come on, lets get inside, we'll discuss this once I have wings."

Arianna followed Max inside. "Very nice house."

"Thanks. It'd be even nicer if a family were here to occupy it." she replied. "No one's home, as usual." she said and sighed. "That means we'll be here a little longer since I have to write a note."

"Alright. If you think that would be best. You do have time you know." Arianna replied.

"I know but they don't, That's the thing. Everyone's always out because they're too busy to stay home and talk to me or anyone else. A note will be fine. Besides, it beats staying home by myself every night."

Arianna nodded. "I can relate."

Max smiled. "At least now we'll have each other." The pink haired girl's mood lit up at knowing that they would become good friends fast. Perhaps even best friends if Arianna was interested.

"Thank the skies. Yes. It gets lonely flying alone."

Max gave her a true smile, one very few had ever received. "We'll be great friends. I can feel it."

"I've never had a friend before, except Princess and Snowball." Arianna admitted, shuffling her feet slightly.

Max's expression saddened. "Really? Well, I'll show you what a true friend is all about." she put an arm around Arianna's shoulders. "Don't you worry, by the end of this you'll be wishing for a new friend for you will never be rid of me."

"I hope I don't bore you. Not many people like to sew or make clothes." She smiled. "Lead the way to your room Max."

"Don't worry, not many people like having a friend that sits at a computer all day hacking into secret files. Who were Princess and Snowball? If you don't mind me asking."

"Princess was my swan, Snowball was my sheep. Thanks to Princess, I got my wings, and having Snowball meant I didn't have to cut the lawn and I could spin my own yarn. I also grew plants and made my own dyes too." She grinned. "We had a big house with a big yard near the poorer side of town away from the people, and since my mom was a scientist, I didn't think it was weird."

Max led her to her room, grabbed two suitcases from under her bed, and put all her computer things in one suitcase, and as much clothes as she could in the other. "I'll come back for the rest later," she muttered before turning to Arianna. "I'm sorry they were murdered." she responded. "It must have been hard. It's like your dog getting run over by a car."

"It was worse than that. They trusted me completely. Princess in particular, she waddled right up to the guy, and then he..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "_That_ one I will kill before I go down."

Max nodded in understanding and led her back out into the kitchen where she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and began writing her family a farewell note.

"You know, the police aren't doing anything for my mother." She sat in a chair as she spoke.

"What do you mean?" she asked, frowning.

"They haven't done anything to find out who murdered her. It's like that because she invented splicing, they want to forget she ever existed at all. All of the effort is going into hurting me down, when I'm the one who called them for help in the first place!"

"Perhaps it would have been better if you hadn't called then and tried to find her killer on your own."

"I know that now, but I wasn't exactly thinking at the time. Moreover, I wouldn't even know where to start! I never saw who did it. I was the one who came home from doing my chores since mom forgot to go to the store that morning, only to find her lying in a pool of blood in the living room!"

"Do you know if they've cleaned up the blood and evidence?"

"They demoed my home trying to find her lab on government orders."

Max sighed. "Do you know if she had any enemies?" she asked and finally finished her letter and stamped it on the fridge.

"Not really, the other doctor took all the blame for the splicing mess as far as I know. They know her as a splicing technician, but I think I'm the only one who knew the other doctor was a fake and a pervert."

"Did he try to advance on your mother? Was he jealous of her work?"

Arianna snorted. "No, I was the one he tried his advances on. And yes, he was wild with jealousy when he first saw me. Didn't take him long to steal her work and twist it into the mockery that everyone knows of now. Never mind that he had no real understanding of what splicing actually does to a person!"

"Do you think he could have been the one to kill your mom?"

"No, I thought Batman blew him up. It was after that the government ordered all splicing banned and anyone who had it to get it reversed." She looked disgusted. "Not that it really can be."

"She had to have had more than one enemy to be murdered like that." said Max thoughtfully. "Why does the splicing mockery and so-called reversal make you so furious? You look just about ready to murder someone."

With visible effort on her part, Arianna relaxed her hands before she shredded something. "I feel like it. It makes me angry because they are both lies. The people that had the procedure done were lied to on both sides. At least my mother let me know in no uncertain terms exactly what it was going to do to me both internally and externally, they didn't. Mother was many things, but she never once lied when it came to her work. She believed in never sugarcoating anything, no matter how bad it was."

"That's good. I trust you inherited at least that from her."

"I adapt things when I have to, but I would never give someone wings without letting them know what they are in for." She looked sad suddenly. "It was for that reason I didn't take the child even though her mother told me to."

"And what is it that I'm in for that's so repulsive that you wouldn't allow a child to endure it?"

"Wendy was only a baby, and if I had taken her- assuming I could hide her!- she would have been raised as my daughter. Excuse me for not wanting to take a child from her mother."

"Hey," said Max, holding up her hands. "I wasn't judging, I was just wondering. Besides, there's nothing wrong with taking a child away from their parents if there's domestic violence going on and the mother and/or father, is okay with the child being taken at least for the time being."

"I hesitated because I wasn't sure I could raise the child alone. And with what's going on right now..." Arianna shook her head. "And it cost a life."

"That's very true." Max sighed. "Well, this has been a lesson. And now it's time to learn from it."

"Agreed." Arianna took a deep breath. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yup. Is there anything you need at your house? Food? Drinks? Anything?"

"Anything you bring will be welcome. There's plenty of room right now since I live alone." She smiled and stood. "At the moment I live a rather hand to mouth existence. They offer me what I need, but I give most of it back to the people who need it more."

Max nodded "Alright. There's not really anything much here to bring so I guess we'll go shopping later." She said as she led Arianna back to the front door and inside her car. Once she revved the engine, she turned to her companion. "You'll have to direct me where to go."

"It's close to the school, that big white house on the right." Arianna replied. "I had a place in my territory, but when Terry found out where it was and saw all the jokers around; he packed me up and moved me to that house. He also assigned batman as a watchdog."

"Did he now?" she asked, smirking but when she remembered they weren't on speaking terms, her smirk fell and a saddened look took over her features. "Does he bother you most nights?"

"At first yes, but less often now. I'm glad he's not underfoot now. Batman is my ally for the moment, but I don't intend to have him stick around forever." Arianna shrugged. "He's nice, but he's still a human."

"I understand. Plus, he's good friend with Terry. Never a good thing when you want something kept hidden from him." she remarked, and decided not to tell her that Terry _is_ batman.

"Yeah, that's the other reason I don't trust Batman very much. He says he won't turn me in, but I have an escape route ready just in case." The brunette shook her head, "I don't trust the police or any of their helpers. I'll be glad when there are enough of us to support ourselves!"

"Batman's trustworthy when you _need_ him. Just him and Terry are closer than you think so watch what you say around him okay?"

`"I will." Arianna pointed out the window. "There it is."

Max pulled into the driveway and once again helped Arianna out of her seat before opening the back door to get her two massive bags.

Arianna limped to the door and opened it, holding it for Max. "My room is on the ground floor, you can use any room you want on the second floor."

"Thanks." she said gratefully and used the stairs to get to the first room on the second floor. When she finished putting her clothes away, she came back downstairs. "Hey does this place have a basement?"

"Not that I'm aware of." Arianna was poking at something in the sink with a stick. "Damnit, still not right!" She muttered. "Feel free to explore Max."

"I will once I know what the hell is in that sink."

The brunette laughed, tapping the stick and showing Max the dark green tip. "I'm dying the last of the handmade yarn I had. Don't worry, the window is slightly open." She frowned darkly and turned to fumble in the cabinet. "Where did I put that pot?" She murmured, talking to herself again.

Max outwardly chuckled. "I'll leave you to it then." she said and left Arianna to explore the house. After looking into many doors and finding either closets or rooms, she got to the end of the hall and opened the last door. "Looks like I found the basement." Max muttered to herself and went down the flight of stairs. "Wow." was all Max could say when she saw the luxurious layout.

An hour later, Arianna tapped on the door. "Anything good down there?" She called down. Arianna had washed the dye out of her hair and removed her contacts. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she shifted her wings slightly. "I'd come down, but I don't see any handrails, and stairs don't like me."

"Want me to help you? It's amazing down here! If you're not going to use it I'd like to store my computers down here."

"Please. Even with my wings, my balance isn't very good. If you hold my hands, I think we can manage." She called back.

Max hurried back up and stairs and smiled at Arianna as she held out her hands for her companion to place in hers.

Frowning in concentration, she cupped her wings around them both for balance and kept a tight grip on Max's hands. "Thank you Max... Have you thought about taking a Nephilim name?"

"I get a name too?" she chuckled. "Never thought of one. You have any ideas?" she went slow for Arianna so she wouldn't be any more frightened of going down the stairs.

She smiled slowly. "My name is SwanQueen. I'd hold off on your name until you've been 'reborn'." Arianna answered thoughtfully. Her legs shook under the strain of navigating the stairs. "Mother gave it to me before she died."

"SwanQueen huh? It's pretty. How long have you been a Nephilim?" she asked and loosened her grip on her hands once they got to the bottom step.

"Six months, but I used to use a hoverchair during the day; ever since mother died I have been pretty much on my feet all the time. So my legs are only just about average strength." Making her way to the closest chair, she barely made it before she collapsed in it. "Yowch."

"No worries. At least they're stronger than they were before." she commented.

"It's easier with my wings out for balance. That was splicing's original purpose." She looked at her legs. "Mother wanted to give hope and a chance of freedom to those who would know what it was like not to have any at all. She said that I was going to be doing something special, something that only we could do."

"Wow, your mom had big plans." she commented and sat beside Arianna on the couch. "You must miss her a lot."

"Compared to her _I'm_ the fledgling. She was the one with the smarts, but she always said that I was the heart. It was actually my idea to start helping the people no one else would help." She shut her eyes tight. "Now I have to figure out what to do on my own, because I don't have all her notes, and I can't break in to the police station. The training room has destroyed, my loom, and all the things I needed."

Max clapped her hands and rubbed them together in anticipation. "Alright, I may be up all night doing this but Arianna; you will eventually have the files you need."

Her mismatched eyes lit up. "Really? Honest! Can I watch for a while? Or are you hungry?"

"I'm not that hungry. But if you want to eat and then come upstairs and watch me hack for a bit that's not a problem."

"I'll bring something up for you when I'm done checking my yarn." Arianna promised, standing carefully. "Can you please help me back upstairs?"

"No problem. And thank you." she was finally able to help and be useful. Terry rarely ever let her help him out so this, to her, was a real treat. She stood and guided Arianna to the stairs and helped her up until they came to the top of the stairs. "My door will be open so you know which room I chose." she commented before strolling down the hall and up the flight of stairs.

"You're welcome." Arianna replied, walking carefully back to the kitchen. About a half an hour later, she tapped politely on Max's open door. "I brought you a snack sister." She said, offering the plate of cheese and crackers along with carrots, celery and a small bowl of peanut butter. "I didn't have any ranch." The young queen apologized.

Max turned from the screen, at first surprised by the 'sister' comment but then smiled, appreciating the trust Arianna held in her. "Thank you, for everything." she said and pulled up a spare chair she had found in another room to let Arianna sit beside her. "These firewalls your mother put up are a real hassle, but, it can and will be cracked."

The brunette gingerly took a seat, ready to jump up if the computer started acting strangely. "Can you wipe the info? If possible, I don't want the police to have the information."

"I can wipe it once I get it transferred to here. It will take time though. Firewalls are very sensitive. One wrong push of a button and it could destroy itself." she replied, her eyes never leaving the screen.

"Is it possible for you to tell if the police already cracked it?" Arianna asked, fascinated with what the other girl was doing.

"I can tell they've tried but have gotten stuck along the way and tried a different approach. As of yet they haven't gotten through."

Arianna relaxed. "Good. If those files are what I _think_ they are, we have to wipe them."

Max only nodded, a particularly difficult part snatching her attention.

"Most of Mom's stuff was handwritten so that I could study it, but her logs were private. I think those are what you are hacking now." She turned red. "She had a doctor's training too, so those logs were rather um..."

The pink haired girl grinned. "No worries. Ain't got anyone to tell."

"Truth, and maybe those logs would help me know what to look for in your development as well. Damn, I wish I dared to...!"

"Dared to what?" she asked, chancing a glance at Arianna.

"I wish I'd dared find a real doctor that could be trained, but that wouldn't work either."

"Why not? It would be useful to have a doctor trained person on our side."

"Because he or she would be older than me, plus, they'd have to be something of a Vet as well." She chewed her bottom lip. "Hm... this is a real problem..."

"Not really. We just have to track the right person, is all."

Arianna kept chewing her lip, looking deep in thought. "I'll need to think about this... This matter is definitely going in the 'Queen's book'." She murmured to herself. "However, that will have to wait until later…" Lost in her own thoughts, she studied Max intensely, as though weighing something important in her mind and debating whether to bring it up or not.

"I feel your stare and I have to say, it's creeping me out. What's on your mind?" she asked, frowning at the screen for a second before her facial features relaxed again.

Arianna shook herself. "Sorry, force of habit. Um... how attached are you to your hair color?"

Forcing herself to not chance a glance at Arianna, she settled for raising her eyebrow in question. "Why?"

"Because it makes you really stand out and people are going to notice once you've been 'reborn'." Arianna didn't add that standing out could get one killed if they had wings.

"I guess wearing a hat is out of the question?"

She shook her head. "No, they don't stay on in the air and get in the way."

"With all do respect Arianna, my hair color shouldn't have to change. I do see your point but like your mismatched eyes, my hair and it's color are a part of me."

Arianna sighed. "Max, don't you realize that you will in a sense 'die' when you get your wings?" She asked. "You can't cling to anything that was a once a part of your human identity, otherwise the ones you'll leave behind won't give up. You might like your hair color now, but it's still going to make you a target even at night." The brunette took a deep breath. "There is a saying that my mother used to tell me: 'No great gift comes without an equally great sacrifice.' I never really understood that until I was 'reborn'. The gift of wings does not come without cost Max, everything has a price, and that price will ultimately be different for every person." She regarded Max thoughtfully. "Perhaps for you, the cost isn't your personal relationships, but what you value as the most important part of your personal identity as a human. Pride has no place among us, sometimes you will be asked to give something up for the good of the whole." After a moment of silence following her speech, Arianna stood up. Drawing her wings around her for support, she walked towards the door without looking back, looking every inch like a Queen. "I'll be gone most of the night, you have free reign of my home, if you choose to leave and never return I will not stop you." Unspoken was: 'but I will never call you a friend and I will never see you again as such.'

Taken aback, Max could only nod but a frown marred her features as her hands paused on the keyboard for a moment before flying across it once more. Idly she wondered what Arianna's price had been when she had gained her wings.

A few minutes later an eerie silence descended on the house after Max heard the back door shut. It was even quieter here than it had been at her parents' house. You got the sense of unending loneliness and stillness. Arianna had been so quiet, that if the back door hadn't shut, Max would have never known she was gone.

Two hours later Max had finally cracked the codes and printed a copy of the files Arianna's mother had stored. She also took out her USB stick and saved a copy of the files as a 'just in case' measure. As asked, she deleted the FEDs copy and covered up her tracks so the police wouldn't be able to locate her I.P address. She put her USB away and sat back with the files in hand, scanning the vast information.

'_...My little SwanQueen is a beautiful Nephilim; she will make a great Queen. She knows what sacrifices will be made for the future of their race. I may have been the instrument in their creation, but it is she who will need the vision and the heart to see it though. While I am no longer her mother, I still have a mother's pride in the values I instilled in her. Already she is surprising me with the place she has decided to give her people:_

_"Batman isn't enough anymore," She told me one night as I was tending to her wounds. "He's trying to live two lives at once and leaving too much undone as a result. You can't have it both ways; it will destroy him if he keeps trying._"'

_'Sounds like she's more of a test subject then a daughter in this._' thought Max as she read though each page carefully and deliberately. When she was done, she put the numerous pages down onto the desk stretched. Suddenly remembering she had food in her room, she reached over to the plate Arianna brought up and munched on the food that was spread out nicely while she awaited Arianna's return.

It was almost three am when Arianna came back, angrily slamming the door behind her in a rage. The girl looked covered in mud, soaking wet, and shivering with cold. "Damn those humans, that one was too close!" She gritted though chattering teeth. "Stupid police defending that damn crook and shooting me. All I did was left him hanging from the lamppost so he couldn't get away…"

The slam of the door and the curses awoke Max with a start. "Glad to see you're back." she said but when she took in Arianna's appearance she raised an eyebrow. "What in God's name happened to you?"

"I was handling a crook and had just finished tying him to the lamppost so he couldn't get away when the police showed up and decided to use me as target practice."

"They probably thought you were hurting him."

"The bag of stolen goods was at the base of the pole, and I wasn't hanging him from his neck." She winced and stretched her leg. "Though I probably _could_ have after the fight he'd given me... good thing I wear pants." Then the muddy brunette sighed and motioned for Max to follow as she made her way to the bathroom to clean up. "Did you get those files?"

At the inquiry, Max grinned and held up the file folder she put the documents into. "Wasn't that hard to get. Just took a while."

"Anything else interesting?" She asked, stripping her muddy clothes in the bathroom.

"No, not since you left. Had a snack but other than that I dosed right off and woke up when you came in just now."

Nodding she stepped into the shower to rinse herself off, revealing the dark bruises on her legs. "You deleted the files right? No chance of them being recovered? The only copies are in my hands now?"

"I saved another copy as a 'just in case' measure. It's hidden well so no one will find it. Not even you if I don't tell you where it is."

Arianna froze, and her eyes turned hard and cold. "Why?" Even naked and dripping wet, she still spread her wings as she faced Max, her fingers flexing like talons in reflex and agitation.

"Hey, chill out, I'm going to tell you where it is, as well as show you but you gotta calm down. I'm not going to use it as blackmail or anything, that's far below me. I just thought that given a certain situation, a backup copy might come in handy. Besides, if you want, you can move it somewhere else. I just thought that of all places, no one would think to look where I hid it."

With visible effort, Arianna relaxed and turned away leaning her head against the wall. "I'm sorry... been alone too long..." She said softly, barely heard over the running water. "Six months since I was 'reborn', it seems like six lifetimes..."

"I know it can be tough at times to be so lonely but you have people to help look after you now. I know it will be hard, but you have to trust others to make decisions that will benefit you and everyone else in the future."

"And if they can't trust me? You aren't the first who wanted wings, you know." She returned to washing the mud off her body. "Every time I got my hopes up, every time I formed a bond... in the end... they failed."

"Have I failed you so far?" she asked, putting one hand on her hip and pointing to the folder. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have told you about the copy I made."

"And your hair?" Arianna replied. "Do you trust me enough to change that too?" She poured soap in her hair. "My word has to be final, this is a war whether people want to admit it or not. Once you are 'reborn' you are _my_ responsibility Max, your welfare in all things has to come before my own. Not many people liked that."

Max's gaze hardened. "It's not a matter of trust there. I trust you to change it, I just don't want to."

"Then what do you suggest? Remember, the current territory under my protection is the roughest and poorest section in Gotham City. Your current hair color is a mark of status and a signature Max. Think about that for a minute."

"I have a suggestion actually. As I've proven, I'm quite familiar with technology. Instead of being directly involved with the people like you and Batman do, I can be tech support and a territory scout where I'd look for unused buildings or places where there aren't people that we can live."

Arianna raised her eyebrow. "You would cut off all contact with humans? Willingly?" She asked, looking surprised.

"Uh, yeah." she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, I'm not going to be a hermit and never ever come out of the room I'll be working in, but I already agreed to end ties with humans. Nephilim are my family now and as you said before," she put a hand on Arianna's shoulder and gave her a soft look. "We're sisters now."

Arianna's slow smile made her look like a shy child, and she pulled Max into a hug, holding tight. She murmured something Max didn't quite catch, but it sounded like "Skies and Earth be thanked, thank you for answering my prayers!"

Max returned the hug and had a happy smile of her own on her face. Finally she was going to be recognized for her talents but most of all, finally she was going to have someone to talk to when she whenever she got home. She was finally part of a family that would care enough to be home.

When she finally let go, the young Queen grinned. "Help me with my hair? After that, we'll need to get you ready."

Max nodded, grinning like a maniac. "What do you need done?" she asked.

"I'm going to have you read something while I get your wings, and you will greet the dawn as a Nephilim. We'll have to hold off on flying for a few days though. Your wings will be fragile at first."

Max nodded but her grin widened. "I meant for your hair. What do you want me to do? Wash it or re-dye it?"

"Let's get the mud out first then I'll re-dye it. It would look odd if we both skipped school." She sighed. "I keep telling myself that _someday_ I won't have to pretend anymore... I can't wait for that day..."

"Well let's get one thing at a time done. First thing's first, your hair. Good thinking though. If we both skipped school Terry would definitely notice something and give Batman a heads up."

"That would be really bad, Batman isn't at all happy with the idea of giving other people wings. Something about not my place to judge..." Arianna muttered

"Yes well, we all have our own opinions." she replied and scrubbed as much mud out of her hair as she could with just her hands before she put some shampoo in her hands and lathered it through Arianna's hair.

The brunette stamped her bare foot in temper. "Maybe Batman likes being alone, but I don't! It's not like I would just give the gift to anyone who asks me. If you ask me, he should be grateful. If there are enough of us, he'll be able to go back to whoever he was."

"Perhaps he doesn't want to. I think he likes being Batman. I do think that having enough of us around would allow him to have more of a social life, however, I don't think he'd give it up entirely."

"I don't think he'd like that Max, I know I wouldn't like it if he started poking around my territory." She shrugged. "Besides, he's a loner and doesn't play well with others. Not to mention that... well, he thinks that I should get cured and have a 'normal' life." After a minute of thought, enjoying Max's attention, Arianna spoke again. "If he can't step down, we'll have two choices: Either to find another city to help or start our own."

"He won't want to share the city. As far as he thinks, he's doing a fine job on his own. Like you said, we can move and find a new city that needs us."

"Would you object to our taking over a city?" Arianna asked.

"No. Not if it really needs us. Why sit around and do nothing if you can get up and do something?"

Arianna smiled slightly. "Well, think about this. If the police system and the higher ups are already corrupt, than wouldn't it be easier in the long run to just replace them instead of cleaning up after them all the time. The reason why Batman will never save Gotham is that the corruption is at the very top and poisoning everything under it."

"That's true but what about the innocent? Should they be left to suffer because greedy fools make wrong choice and aren't stopped? It may be hard, but they can be stopped." Max was now working on rinsing the soapy suds out of Arianna's hair so they could set to work on her wings.

"I never said they shouldn't be helped Sister. We'll be working from the bottom up." She grinned. "The more people we have on our side, the easier it will be to boot out the bad nuts. We have to prove our worth first."

"Ahhhh, I like your thinking." Max also grinned. "Well, we better get started if we're going to get anywhere with this." she replied.

When Max was done, Arianna grinned and faced Max. "Thank you for your help." Stepping back, she carefully shook the beading water off her wings. For the first time, Max actually noticed what she looked like. Her wavy brunette hair tumbled down her back, stopping at her waistline. Her full lips quirking in a smile that lit up her dancing mismatched eyes. Her wings and her attitude made people think that she was taller than the even five feet tall she actually was. Still eyeing Max, she sighed. "Damn you are lucky, but I'll have to get working on your new clothes right away. I think you are a bit bigger than me in the cup size." She looked slightly annoyed and looked down at her small breasts. "I'm small."

"Sorry." said Max, her cheeks lighting up as she looked at her C cups.

"A and a half." Arianna sighed. "I can actually pass for a boy if I have to, but I didn't like the idea of using the guys' bathroom and gym showers at school." She shrugged. "It helps that I look younger than I am. Nobody noticed when I did it the last time for mother."

Max's eyes widened. "You dressed up as a boy?! Wow, that's pretty shway. Especially if you had to do it for an important reason. However I like your look the way it is right now."

"I... Well, I was mother's spy on more than one occasion." She shrugged. "Mom said I'd grow out after a kid or two." Stepping out of the shower, she smirked. "Let me get the file for you, it will help you a little. I'll get the stuff and meet you in your bathroom. Do you have a shirt that you can destroy? I don't think my suits will fit you..."

"Yeah I think I have a couple that can be torn. Will I need it for when i get wings?" she asked.

"Yeah, until I can make your outfits. If I can, I'll try to have a few done before you are ready to fly for the first time. Still naked, she shuffled out of the bathroom and ducked into her room, than she came back with a black journal. "Here you go."

"Thanks." She replied and opened the file. At first, she didn't know what to make of it as she read it, but she soon realized that this was a fantasy: A fantasy that would soon be coming true. "Wow, this is... incredible. Did you think all of this up yourself?" she asked and closed it.

Arianna nodded, dressed in a black version of her flying suit. "Yes. Some of it is what I remembered from mom's notes, but the rest of it was my doing." The Nephilim queen threw her shoulders back proudly. "I know it sounded stuffy and snobby, but I wanted it to sound like these were the rules we lived by, that we weren't just some rebel spy gang."

"I think it's pretty good. Though, you do know that even though human and Nephilims can't be together, there will be at least one to go against that rule. It always happens. Taboo love gives a thrill."

"That's why the punishment for it was the harshest." Arianna replied quietly. "Future generations will have it drummed into them that we must remain separate." She cocked her head. "Anything else I might be missing?"

"It's a good plan but just remember, there's always at least one. People will do anything for love. Though other than that I think it's all good."

"Then that one will provide the example for all the rest." She replied. "We should use your bathroom for this. I'm going to have to really hurt you Max."

Max nodded and led Arianna to her bathroom. Once inside, she stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

Without any expression, she put the gun on the toilet seat, but held the vial tight. "Strip and wash your back, get the water as hot as you can." Her voice held a slight coldness to it. "It might be a good idea to kneel." From a medicine cabinet above the sink, she took out a _very_ sharp knife and calmly washed it in water that streamed.

While Arianna did that, she did as she was instructed and washed her back, making sure to get everywhere that was surely needed.

Arianna turned the water off and knelt behind Max. "Take a deep breath and focus on your wings. It might not help with what your wings look like, but it'll distract you from the pain a little." The tip of the knife lightly traced the hollow behind her shoulder blades. "May the Skies above and Earth below grant you courage..." Suddenly the knife cut deeply into Max's brown flesh. Before Max's first scream died away, she quickly grabbed the gun, inserted the vial and shot the contents into each cut.

She cried in agony and gripped the shower dial as hard as she could, never noticing when Arianna helped her lay own on her belly. She hung her head low and tried taking deep breaths to calm herself down and hopefully lessen the pain, but it didn't work though. It was like the pain was there, just hovering in the same spot, trying to make her go insane. She brought her head up and looked at the ceiling as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. With one last deep breath, she controlled her heartbeat and her breathing. The pain was still there was it wasn't as bad. "Damn it. That fucking hurt." she said through gritted teeth. She took one more deep breath, soothing herself and concentrated on the blood rolling down her back.

"Don't move, this isn't over yet." Arianna encouraged softly. "The skin on your back split open to make room for the pouches... It takes a few minutes for the itching to start." As she spoke, she tenderly wiped the blood away.

Max nodded and awaited the itching. After a few minutes, the itching indeed did start. At first it wasn't so bad, but it soon got worse, to the point it had her jerking in every direction. "How long does the itching last?" She asked, trying in vain not to cry from unsatisfied itching.

"As long as it takes. Since I don't know what wingtype you'll be, I'm not sure. Be lucky, I did it the hard way, mom didn't cut slits in my back."

"No offence or anything," she started. "but at this moment in time, I don't care what the hell you went through. All I know is I'm in pain." she replied and after ten long minutes of pure agony from not being able to itch, she finally slumped back onto her ass and panted. "Tell me that's the last of the process. At least for now."

"Your feathers are growing, but they haven't emerged yet." She wiped off the blood and moved to the front, pulling max into her arms. "Relax now, tensing up only makes it worse."

She leaned into Arianna's arms and curled into her frail frame and winced every two seconds. As the feathers expanded, it tore the flesh inside of her back to make more room. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she balled her hands into fists as she tried to relax. By the gods, this had to be the worse pain Max had ever felt in her entire life.

Arianna looked calm and at complete peace with herself, stroking Max's hair gently. "Beautiful…" She murmured softly.

"W-what?" asked Max, jerking from the pain but wanting to know what Arianna was calling beautiful.

"Well, I can't be completely sure, but I think you'll be a fast type. Those look like falcon wings. I would have to take a look later." Arianna answered.

Max nodded and soon after the pain stopped. She took a few deep breaths and asked in a worried voice, "Is that all?"

"I'm not sure, can you unfold them?"

Just like making an arm or leg move, she unfolded her wings carefully, testing out its movement like one would testing out the stiffness in a limb.

"Good." She eased Max off her lap. "Lie there for a bit, I want to clean and examine them." Standing, Max could hear the sound of water running in the sink.

Calming her breathing so now her chest moved up and down evenly, she asked, "Is the pain necessary? Is there no pain killer to help?"

"It was made painful on purpose, though my form lessened the pain and considerably shortened the time." Arianna sounded satisfied. "Mom's way took a full day and a half." As she spoke, she gently washed the blood from her sister's wings and back. "The damage doesn't look too bad..."

"That's a relief. At least you cut slits so it wouldn't be so bad."

"You'll be a week in healing I think, and you'll have to be housebound during that time." Arianna said, sounding a little worried. "Your still bleeding a little, and I don't think I cut the slits long enough..."

"No worries. It will fix itself. In the meantime, If you return to school just tell the teachers that I'm sick."

"Any chance of schooling at home?" Arianna asked, poking at Max's back. "Can you feel this?"

"Yes and it hurts." Max groaned. "I must forge a note from my parents saying that I'm no longer attending."

She nodded, and put the cloth and bucket aside. "Can you stand Max?"

Max put her hands flat on the floor and braced herself as she stood. Her legs were shaky from nerves being shot but all in all she was fine. "I want to sleep." she said tiredly.

"No, you can't right now." She said sharply. "I want to make sure you haven't lost too much blood first." Without asking, she wiped Max's front down so she wasn't covered in blood.

Max stayed where she was. "Alright." she leaned against the wall and sighed. "How long will it take?" she asked, liking the softer Arianna a little better than the authoritative one that was keeping her from sleep.

"At least an hour. I'll bring up some orange juice and chocolate for you." Arianna said firmly. "Why don't you go back to your room and relax a little while I hose down the shower and clean it for you."

"Thank you," she said, barely above a whisper. It was clear she was completely wiped so she didn't object when Arianna told her to go to her room and rest. She did just that. She got into her bed and lied on her stomach, letting the cool air cool down her heated back.

Ten minutes later, Arianna tapped on the door, a huge glass of orange juice in one hand and a large bar of chocolate in the other. "Max?"

"Thank you." she said once more before taking the chocolate bar and munching on it. "I can't wait to try them out but what I want most right now is sleep."

"Remember, you are only a fledgling now. It may be up to a month before you are strong enough for flight. Your wings are at their most fragile right now." She flipped her wings closed and sat in Max's chair. "Your feathers are still blood sheathed and can easily be damaged. If you aren't careful, you could ground yourself."

Max nodded. "I'd rather be able to fly so I'll just wait till you tell me it's safe to pull them back in." she sat for a moment before breaking out into a slow smile and hugged her sister. "Thank you."

"You are welcome." She paused. "Would you like to go up on the roof when you are finished? It's not dawn yet, but today I want to sing to the sun as he rises."

Eagerly, Max nodded and sat up after downing half her glass of juice. "I'd like that." she stated and put a shirt over her head and her wings into the slits Arianna had made for her to use.

Arianna was frowning in distaste at Max's shirt. "It's not perfect, but it'll do for now. Humans are so touchy about modesty..." She nodded at Max, "There is a tower next to the back door, it's not what I would have chosen though. I will be glad if you could find a tall abandoned building for our Aerie."

Max grinned and let Arianna lead her out of the house and onto the roof. "Wow, you never know how beautiful the sky is until you really look at it." marveled Max once on the roof.

"You'll be able to do a running takeoff if needed. I'm a plumeter, and need height to take off." She smiled at Max quietly. "There is nothing like seeing the stars in the sky while in flight when the air is alive around you."

"I'm starting to agree." she said and smiled. Her smile however didn't last long when the person she least wanted to see right now landed not two feet from Arianna.

"Hey Arianna, I was just checking up on y-" he stopped when he saw Max and although he was silent and said nothing, Max could feel the rage meter rising inside him. Suddenly she wanted nothing more than to curl up and have the ground swallow her. Though Max was tough and didn't allow Batman to see that she cared what he thought. She thought she wouldn't but it backfired fully.

Instead of turning away though, she stood straighter and looked him right in the eye, daring him to insult her.

"Hello Batman." she said, not forgetting to conceal the fact Batman was Terry behind the mask.

Arianna stood as well, laying a protective hand on Max's shoulder. "Courage my fledgling." She murmured softly for Max's ears alone. "Hello Batman." Arianna greeted in a normal voice.


	7. Arguments, broken ties, big plans

Author's note: sorry for the long wait, this chapter took a while. Thanks again to Inu-midoriko for working with me. Hope you enjoy the read and please remember to leave a review!

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Arianna eyed both of them, since batman seemed too angry to speak, then turned slightly towards Max. "Fledgling, would you like a bit of privacy?" The Nephilim queen asked calmly. "I won't go far if you wish."

Max nodded. "Yeah if you don't mind. This won't take too long." she replied, taking her eyes off of Batman for a moment.

Arianna frowned. "I'll be within calling distance." She said, opening her wings and diving off the roof to land on the one next door.

"'Fledgling'?" Terry echoed, fighting back rage. "Max what is this about?!"

Max huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Like you care. What are you doing here anyways?" she asked. A light breeze blew by, making the feathers on her wings flutter.

Terry glared at Max. "I came by to check on Arianna. Max... I know your pissed, but why get spliced, especially when you can't take it back?"

Angry now, Max's frown only deepened. "I chose this because for once in my life I want to be needed. I want to be appreciated and by god, I want someone to be there when I come home. I want someone to talk to, who will listen to me." The vulnerability in her eyes was becoming more and more apparent but she refused to show anymore of her distress to him.

"And she does?" Terry snapped back. "What about your family? What about Dana and me?" He half turned to glare at Arianna's back. "You don't know anything about her or what it will really mean now that you've got wings!"

"Yes as a matter of fact she does! She's there for me as I am for her! We have no one but each other now. My family wouldn't care if I ran away to Paris and you know it! As for Dana, it will be different without her but as for you; you made it clear you didn't want me around."

"How do you know that?! You haven't even known her a day! How do you know what she's like? She called you a 'fledgling'! Would a real friend call you that?" Terry snapped while pacing now, and if looks could kill, Arianna would be dead.

"Yes I'm a fledging! Right now, I'm not a friend to her, I'm a newborn Nephilim and am treated as such! Just like when you're at work or at camp. You may be friends with the kids or your co-workers but if you're higher up on the scale, sometimes you have no choice but to show it. You obviously don't understand anything so just go away." she turned her back on him, ready to leave.

Terry grabbed Max's shoulder and frowned at Max's back. "What the hell-! What did that kid do to you?! I'm taking you to the hospital!"

Suddenly, wingbeats could be heard as Arianna landed. "Remove your hand. Now." Arianna snapped in protective fury, striking it away for added measure. "You'll have to kill me first before you take her anywhere." Her mismatched eyes blazed in fury as her stepped between them, her wings spread to their full length in a protective posture. Turning her head slightly, she looked at Max. "Are you all right my fledgling?" She asked in a gentler voice.

"I'll be alright." she replied but the hurt, the betrayal and something not even Max could identify could be seen in her eyes.

Arianna didn't miss the look, and turned her attention back to batman. "I believe it's time you left." She stated coldly, not relaxing at all in case there was a fight.

"I'm not done talking to Max." he replied just as coldly. Anger rose higher and higher and he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to hold it back.

"She needs to rest." Anianna replied. "Fledgling?"

"Yes my Queen?" she asked, glancing at Terry, all the while letting it be known she was pissed off with him by both her look and body language.

"Was I interrupting your conversation? It looked like he was threatening you." Arianna asked Max.

"He wants to 'cure' me." she said with a sneer, the very thought of having her wings taken after just receiving them making her grow even angrier.

The nephilim queen folded her wings with a sharp snap and politely stepped out of Max's way. "I see." Her words were cold. "You may give him your answer while I'm here. I won't leave you again."

Max nodded and turned to Terry. "I'm not going anywhere Batman. I'm staying right here with my Queen, with my wings and with my dignity."

It was at last that Terry lost his temper and took a step forward. "You have no idea what the hell you're doing! If you want to live the rest of your life in exile, in fear of having your wings clipped off then by all means do it. I have no right to stop you. But I will tell you this," he took another step. "I may have been angry at you for quite some time over something you've said but _never_ have I stopped caring for your well being." he hissed. "You go on about how no one cares for you and in my opinion you should just shut it because you know I cared, still care for you. And despite what you want, what you _think_ you want, I will find a cure and you will be human again."

Furious now, Max's back stiffened at his words and she took a step forward to make her point heard. "How _dare_ you try to run my life! You don't know the first thing about what I was feeling. So yes, you care; so yes, you want me back as your friend but it's too late. _You_ are too late. You should have talked to me while you still could."

"You didn't give me much of a choice to say what I wanted Max. Every time I tried to talk you would _always_ fight with me on something or another."

"Just get out of here." she turned her back on him. "I'm done talking to you about this. Until you've accept me for what I am now, don't come knocking at my door."

"You're pathetic."

"At least I don't hide behind a mask." she sniped back.

"You will regret this. One way or another." when she didn't turn around or answer back, he turned his cold stare to Arianna. "I hope you're happy."

Arianna's back felt ramrod straight. "She chose this of her own free will and passed every test I gave her to see if she was worthy, I gave her several chances to back out and she refused them all. My fledgling is my responsibility now, and as such, no harm will come to her while I live batman." Her tone was polite and formal.

Max smiled gratefully at Arianna. "Thank you." she said softly. "As for you Batman, I don't need you. You can leave."

Terry silently vowed that he would get Max back one way or another, whether she wanted him back or not. However, at this moment he needed time to cool down. "Our talk is far from over." was all he said Max before taking off at an angry flight.

After he left, Arianna looked at Max. "Hate him if you must, I won't blame you. Sometimes hate is our only defense." She said this softly. "Believe me, we will be better than the humans." The hate in her eyes turned to compassion. "I am sorry."

"The fact I don't hate him is what bothers me. But do not trouble your mind on him. We have much to do." Max replied.

"You are right." She inspected Max's back. "There's some slight bleeding, but no new tearing." Arianna reported.

"So is it okay to fly?" she asked, still anxious to take flight even after the most recent events.

"I want to give it a week, maybe longer. You'll need to strengthen your muscles first, I also want your feathers to adjust. Right now, they are as fragile as a newborn chick's. Believe me, slow is better unless you want a broken leg or worse." Arianna answered calmly, lightly stroking the other girl's wings.

Max shivered under the sensation of her wings being stroked. They were sensitive to touch and even the lightest caress had shivers run up her spine. "Good idea. I'd rather be able to walk."

"If we lived away from the people, I would allow short flights once you were adjusted to get you used to the idea, but it's too dangerous right now. The first flight is risky at best, but in the current conditions..." Her voice trailed off. "I also need you to learn how to use at least one weapon."

"How do you propose I do that?" she asked. She didn't even know what weapon she would be good with in combat.

"I'm good with a sling, and mother taught me the basics as far as knife fighting, though the latter for me is for last resort. If you choose a bow and arrow or a spear... well, we'll figure something out. Do you know why I need you to learn this Max?" She held out a hand to Max so they could climb down.

"Honestly I have no idea. Wouldn't a gun be sufficient enough?"

"I don't like guns; they are too heavy in flight, assuming you can get one in the first place. If you are being chased, even a little weight can slow you down." She watched Max descend, and followed once Max was safely all the way down. "I want to make sure that we can defend ourselves at all times. Like it or not, if it comes down to them or us, we have to make sure we survive. We need to fight for our existence, and that _will_ mean combat at one point or another." Arianna held open the side door for her fledgling. "The next time batman lays a hand on you, or anyone else for that matter, you put them in the dirt."

Max nodded her understanding. "I understand. So, do you have any weapons in mind for me? I wouldn't know which I'd be good at even if it flung itself into my hands."

"I think a bow and arrow would suit you." The brunette said thoughtfully locking the door behind them and following Max up to her room. "We could try it anyways." She looked very tired. "For now, since we are small in number, we are both going to need to learn things that we don't like. However, we are laying a solid foundation for the future."

"Lets rest for now and start fresh in the morning. No use trying to learn something when you're dead tired,"

"You rest; I need to head off to school." Arianna said. "You'll find it more comfortable to sleep on your stomach too."

Max awoke six hours later, unable to sleep any longer. She sighed as she got out of bed and freshened up as best as she could with the dark brown wings on her back. Once she finished washing up, she looked at herself in the mirror and turned slightly so she could see what it looked like behind her. She grinned, finding she enjoyed the look. Her gaze darkened however when she remembered that Terry hated the look almost as much as he hated Jokers.

Shaking her head to rid herself of thoughts of him she set to work at her computer, hacking into FED files to get recently updated maps and blue prints of the city.

Downstairs, the door slammed shut. "I'm home! You awake?" A loud thumping sound like something heavy falling followed this call. "Ow!"

Max grabbed the maps and blueprints she had just finished printing and came to the top of the stairs and carefully made her way down the stairs. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, wondering what on earth Arianna had done to hurt herself.

Arianna shook her head to clear it, laying on her back in the midst of a pile of books on the floor. "Yes. This just hasn't been my day today." She said, slowly turning over.

"Why? Has something happened?" Her gaze then darkened. "Was it Terry?"

"Yes." The word was spoken though clenched teeth. "Damn batman!" She got to her feet when her crutches were secure and limped over to the couch. When she saw her bag had ripped open, tears filled her eyes. "Oh no! Not my bag!"

"What? Tell me what happened." said Max, a concerned look coming onto her face as she sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What happened was he cornered me and I almost ripped half his face off." Arianna said tightly as she examined her bag. "He was ranting about how I had no right to choose who got wings and who didn't, among other things.

Her fledgling frowned in concern. "Maybe I should go talk to him." she said. "Perhaps if I tried to get him to see that everything is fine then he won't be bothered by it as much."

"No, I don't want you anywhere near him sister." Her eyes hotly burning with rage. "I don't want him to get any ideas."

Max sighed and looked down. "Alright." she desperately wanted to help Arianna escape his rage. She also desperately wanted Terry not to hate her for what she had consented to. Time would only tell just how much Terry cared for Max. Whether or not he was willing to look past her wings to see the true friend he once had.

Arianna buried her head in her hands. "I wanted to kill him Max." She said softly.

"Why are you so angry? What did he say?" she asked.

"He..." She swallowed hard. "He accused me of letting you have wings _without_ the full knowledge of what it meant. He also accused me of using you to get back at him. Batman told him about my title, and he says that this whole Nephlim thing is based on my ego and that anyone who had wings would be brainwashed into serving me." She clenched her hand into a fist. "Before I left, he said I was no better than that fake doctor and that I'd ruined your life forever."

Max's eyes widened. "Why did he say such cruel things to you?" she asked her queen. After all, he knew she did this by her own choice. "I must talk with him, to at least tell him it's not your fault. To tell him I've not been brain washed."

The brunette had calmed down slightly. "He and I have a past." She explained everything to Max, holding nothing back and finishing with. "It doesn't help that _I'm_ the reason Dana dumped Terry in the first place."

"Their relationship was rocky to begin with. It was hardly your fault." she replied and sighed.

"I think Terry's main problem is that it is permanent. There is no turning back once the choice is made." She gripped her hands in her lap. "He doesn't understand why you have to be _completely_ committed to this."

Max sighed. "I bet he'd change his mind about it if he were one of us." she muttered. "He doesn't understand what he hasn't yet experienced."

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so Max. I made him the offer already, and he refused. Besides, I don't think he could make the sacrifice required."

"You never know. I think he'd be an interesting bat." she smiled softly. "Why is it we can't have human contact? Even with our own family?"

"Because in time you will forget you were anything else. Besides, do you really _want_ to have a repeat of batman's reaction?" She raised her eyebrow. "Until we can stand on our own without relying on others, it's best to remain separate."

"I suppose." she replied but quickly grinned. "Anyway, guess what I got for you."

Arianna grinned. "What's up?"

The pink haired teen reached behind her and showed Arianna the papers. "I managed to hack into FED files to get detailed maps and blueprints of the city. Recently updated ones too." she replied with a grin.

Joy made her glow as the queen's face lit up. "You've been busy haven't you?" She murmured in warm approval. Studying the maps, she raised an eyebrow. "Hmm... interesting."

Max grinned. "For five hours or so." she confessed but frowned when she turned her attention to what Arianna found interesting. "What's interesting?" she asked.

"There's a whole portion of the city that looks to be cut off from the rest." She traced the area. "If it's a criminal hive, we can kick them out and take over... maybe." Looking thoughtful, she tapped her finger against the place on the map.

Max's eyes widened. "Are you serious? The two of us? We'd die trying!"

"I never said we had to do it tonight."

"I know but still. If it's infested with criminals we don't stand a chance."

Putting the maps and ripped bag aside, she stood up. "Slow and steady wins the race. The goal might be high, but it's something to keep in mind." Remembering the gift she dropped, Arianna looked down at the books on the floor, an amused smile quirked her lips before she gestured to her sister. "I brought you some books."

Max grinned down at them and whistled. "My, I guess I should get reading." she picked them up and held them to her chest. "Thanks. So, what now?" she asked.

"I'm going to take a shower and a quick nap if that's okay." Arianna replied with a yawn. "I haven't slept since yesterday morning. There's some steak left over if you want any."

"Will do." replied Max and made her way over to the fridge. "Oh, before you go, is there anyone else you're planning on giving wings to? Anyone that catches your interest?"

"Chaos is the top choice at the moment... and I have my eye- literary- on another handful of people, but nothing concrete at the moment."

"Chaos huh? That's a pretty good choice. I assume he knows about you being spliced?"

"Yeah, he knows, and has been breathing down my neck ever since. It might come down to either turning him or killing him."

"I think he'd make a powerful ally if he were serious about this. Was he in class today?"

"No, and that worries me." Arianna yawned again.

"Well you go rest. Things will be fine with me here." she reassured and put the leftover steak in the microwave to heat up.

Arianna stumbled to the bathroom, it was clear she was on her last legs of energy. Which made it all the more meaningful that she'd asked Max if she'd be okay rather than just going straight to bed.

As Max was finishing the last of the steak the door knocked. Frozen for a moment, Max got up and peeked around the curtain, fearing that the person at the door was Terry. She was relieved however, when she saw Chaos. She went to the door and opened it while hiding her wings from the view of others outside if they happened to walk by and look in.

"Max-" he paused with wide eyes when he came in.

Max closed the door behind him and rolled her eyes. "Don't look surprised Chaos, it was bound to happen sooner or later."

"I asked her first." he hissed.

"Look, I don't know the details of your relationship but if I were you I'd chill out. Trust me, your time will come." she replied. "Now, my queen is sleeping, can I take a messege?"

"I was just checking on her. I haven't seen much of her as of late."

"That's sweet." she smiled. "I bet you were going to ask her on a date."

"That's none of your concern."

"Maybe not. But breathing down her neck isn't going to get you anywhere."

"Yeah? And what you do suppose I should do?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Prove yourself to her."

"How?"

Max grinned. "You have to find that out on your own."

Chaos' jaw clenched with frustration. "Tell her I came by and that I request she comes to my home tonight."

"I'll relay the message, however whether or not she shows up is entirely her choice."

"Understood." with that he grabbed a pencil and paper and left directions on how to get to his place then left just as quickly as he came. Max sighed and locked the door after him and went back up to her room to do some more research for Arianna.

Arianna came out of her room a little while later. "I'm up!" She called. "Anything happen while I was dead to the world?"

"Yeah," she called back, then emerged to stand at the top of the stairs. "Chaos came by. Said he wants you to visit him tonight. He left directions for you in the kitchen."

"Shit!" Her queen cursed. "I take it he's not happy?"

"Not in the least. I assume he's going to chew you out, but maybe not. He came by to talk to you so it may be something important." she shrugged.

Arianna sighed. "I wanted to start your training tonight..." She muttered. "How are you doing up there?"

"A lot better than I first thought." she replied. "I've got a copy of every FED file on the criminals that are running businesses either underground or out in the open. I figure that if we're going to get to the bottom of cleaning Gotham we should study our opponents."

"You are really on the ball. I'm proud of you fledgling." The queen praised. "Are you going to be a while? Or are you almost done?"

"I've just got to touch up a few things but other than that I'll be done in about ten minutes." she replied, glowing at the praise she was getting.

Arianna looked really annoyed now. "All right... I'll take a fast shower then I'll show you some easy exercises to do while I see what Chaos wants. I'm sorry fledgling, I know I've left you on your own a lot..."

"Sure thing and don't worry, there's a lot to do so I don't mind, at least I still see you." she reasoned and with a small smile, she went back up to her room to finish what she had started.

Still really pissed, Arianna took the fastest shower of her life. Dressing in her only remaining clean uniform, she mounted the stairs with her wet hair only half braided. Clearly, even though Max had said _she_ didn't mind, her queen felt otherwise…

The dark haired teen sat at the kitchen table to his small apartment, facing the body sized screen door with an impatient expression on his face. He wanted to talk to Arianna more than he first thought. For what reason, he didn't yet know. He told himself repeatedly it was because he wanted to discuss his receiving of the wings but deep down he knew it was something more complicated than that.

Arianna landed and cupped her wings around her like a cloak, a slingshot ready in one hand. She looked nervous and more than a little annoyed as she carefully scanned the area around her before rapping on the frame of the door.

Immediately he was at the door. He grinned slightly at her as he opened the door for her. "Good evening Arianna. Did you rest well?" he asked and once she was in, he closed the door behind him.

"Yes I did." After scanning the room sharply, she dropped her rock in the pouch at the belt of her waist and tucked the slingshot beside it. Since her uniform was a dark brown in color, it looked like she was dressed for battle.

Chaos raised an eyebrow at her outfit but didn't question it now. "Would you like a drink?" he asked and led her further into his apartment until they were both in his kitchen.

"Water, if you please." She replied, still trying to figure out what he wanted.

He nodded and took out a can of root beer for himself and a bottle of water for Arianna and sat down in the chair. "Are you able to sit?" he asked, gesturing to the chair across from him.

She nodded, sitting down in the chair, but leaning forward slightly so that nothing was pressing on her wings. Arianna was being prim and polite, even in private acting like a queen.

"So, Max has wings. When did this occur?" he questioned but kept all hints of the irritation he felt to himself, away from his tone and expression.

"She was 'reborn' last night, hence why I was sleeping when you arrived."

"When did she ask?" he asked, narrowing his eyes in slight annoyance and jealousy.

Arianna narrowed her eyes. "That is a private matter." She answered coldly. "She asked, I tested, she passed."

"You never tested me." he replied. "Or is it that you don't know if I should get the wings because I passed but you still don't trust me."

"It isn't a test if you know you are being tested." Arianna snapped after taking a drink, though privately flinching at his insight.

Chaos stayed silent for a moment before taking a sip of his drink. "So, am I passing? More than you hoped I would?"

The queen didn't answer, just frowned in disapproval. "What do you think?"

"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen you since the dinner we went on. By the way, are you still interested in going to a drive in?"

"Yes, but that will have to wait for a while yet."

Chaos sighed. "Alright, I'm going to take down my barrier and give it to you straight." he said and leaned forward on the table. "I like you. I don't know why and I don't know when it happened but I find you interesting. Give me wings or don't give me wings, it won't make a difference. Now, I know you said now isn't the time for a movie, but everyone has to eat. How about lunch tomorrow?"

She raised her eyebrow. "Chaos I may like you too, but that doesn't change the fact that I have responsibilities. I have a fledgling now who needs my care and protection. Batman is rather pissed at me, and I need to keep my eye on her."

"I never said Max couldn't join us." he replied with a raised eyebrow. As much as he wanted Arianna alone on a date, he knew in order to win her over he would have to be open to anything. And he was. For now.

She smiled but shook her head. "We can wait until she's fledged, there's no sense in insulting her by treating her as if she needs a nursemaid."

"I hardly think going out to lunch is catering but alright, I see your point." he sighed but smiled at her anyway. "What are your plans for her?"

Arianna glared. "Chaos..." She warned

"Alright, alright." he sighed and got up from the table. "I guess you'll want to get back."

She stood up as gracefully as she could, spreading her wings for balance. "Thank you for the water, may I take the bottle with me?"

"Anything you want." he replied and put a hand in his pocket. A split second later he leaned down placed his lips on hers. He lingered for a few seconds before pulling back, satisfied that he finally gave her a kiss.

Arianna sat right back down on her seat in shock. "What was that for?"

Grinning madly he shrugged. "For now, think of it as a goodbye gift until next time."

Taking a deep breath, she got up and left Chaos's apartment more quickly than she had entered, stopping just long enough to rearm herself before taking off again.

Chaos chuckled in amusement as he watched Arianna flee- for that's what it was- his apartment. She always seemed to amuse him whether she tried to or not. That was why every time he thought of her as a queen; he always frowned. It suited her, but at the same time, it didn't. She wasn't like any of the queens he has read about in stories. He guessed that's what made her unique from all the rest. He smiled, finding he liked it anyway. Chaos grinned stupidly as he thought about her. Yes, she was different indeed. She was strong, clearly depended on no one, especially men, but even more important, she took her role seriously. Other queens would brag about their plans but she put her fledglings' needs above everyone else.

Still upset, the Nephilim queen nonetheless flew straight back to the house. It was a risk leaving Max alone while batman was still around, but she'd made sure there had been a baseball bat in her sister's room in case of trouble. She frowned, reminding herself that she needed to talk about having a Nephilim name. Stopping at Max's window, she tapped on the glass.

Max opened the glass as soon as she heard the tap. "The front door isn't good enough anymore?" she asked, amusement clear in her voice.

"I didn't want to give anything away in case of unwelcome company." Arianna answered, tucking her wings in as she climbed inside. "Everything quiet?"

"Yeah, not even the mailman came by today. So, how did it go?"

"He was prying about you and seemed jealous." She shrugged, tossing her braid behind her.

"Really? What did he say? That he should have been first to receive the gift?"

"More or less, yeah."

Max chuckled. "My, my, what a silly little man. Did you tell him off?"

"I told him at it was my choice, so stay out of it."

"Good. Was he angry?"

"He was good at hiding it, but yeah."

Amused, Max narrowed her eyes at Arianna but smirked. "Are you hiding something?"

"He tired to ask me out, and then stole a kiss when I left." Her face turned red.

Max chuckled softly. "Aw, in a sick way that's kind of cute."

Arianna paced. "I don't know what to do about him sister, I really don't. There's no way to test him _without_ his knowing it that I can see."

"Don't be so upset. How do you test us anyways?" she asked.

"Normally, I've follow someone for weeks to see what they are like before I even approach them. If I like someone, I give them the Choice and let them think about it, but keep an eye on them to see what they do. Some refuse to my face, others show their true colors."

"And Chaos?"

"Chaos already knows about me. I told you how we met." She stroked her braid as she paced awkwardly. "He'll suspect I'm following him and will play being the good boy."

"What if he doesn't know it's not you that's following him? What if I follow him?"

"He would know that you report back to me wouldn't he?" Arianna asked.

"Well he might suspect it for a while. But if I hang out with him more as a friend then a spectator then he might think I'm as innocent as I look."

"And can you watch him without letting your personal feelings get in the way?"

"Of course, this is an experiment. Friendship can come later if he passes."

"Very well, but if you catch him stealing again..." Arianna left the sentence hanging, but she was wearing her queen's face, which meant that this was an order that Max had to obey.

Max nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, I'll report back to you and we can find someone else other than Chaos." he confirmed. The pink haired teen smiled at Arianna, admiring that even though she was only five foot tall, she seemed so much taller when she was acting like the queen she was.

Arianna frowned quietly. "Have you decided on a name yet?" She adjusted her wings slightly. "I'm curious, are you good at languages?"

"Actually I've thought of a name." she said and flushed with slight embarrassment. "Don't laugh ok?"

"I would never laugh at your name little sister." Arianna said solemnly.

"SwiftSpy..."

"I think it suits you. As a falcon, I think you'll be the fastest out of all of us, including me. And you do spy on the humans."

"Yeah that's why I chose it." she smiled shyly. "Thanks." she said gratefully and sighed with relief. "I wasn't sure if you'd like it or not."

"Your welcome. Eventually, I'd like for the Nephilim to have their own language..."

"That'd be pretty interesting. How would you go about doing that though? Making up a language would be so hard."

"I'm hoping we can somehow acquire a linguist in our midst, or someone who likes languages." She sighed. "Yes, I'm thinking very far ahead SwiftSpy."

"That's alright. It's better to think far ahead then to not be prepared at all."

"I agree... I had another thought too... but Batman's going to kill us if he finds out what we are up to..."

"What is it?" she asked, curiosity flashing through her dark brown eyes.

"Remember that potion of the city we found on the map that is basically the main viper's nest? Well, what if we turn that viper's nest into our own city once we clean them out? A city within a city. We could invite the humans in my territory to settle there and let everyone have an equal fresh start. True, I'd rather the city as a Nephilim only place, but I'm willing to be flexible as long as they treat us with the proper respect."

"Wow, that's quite the vision." suddenly she grinned wickedly. "I love it. We need to get started straight away. I'll start on Project Chaos ASAP too. That way we have more recruits."

"The sky is the limit, the humans might try to limit us, but we can't limit ourselves too." Arianna replied. "I'll see what I can do about the language project; we'll be needing that soon."

"Why would we need it soon? Shouldn't we get settled and then start on our own language?"

"Humans are nosy, and we don't want batman involved. The sooner we have our own language, the better. If we do it while we are small in number, the easier it will be in the long run."

"Ah, nice thinking." she complimented. "Well, I'm going to see if I can dig up anything good from the low class criminals that will allow the police to arrest them once we dump them on their door step."

"How are your wings feeling SwiftSpy?" Arianna wanted Max to get used to her new name.

Smirking at the name, she replied. "They're feeling pretty good actually. I can't wait to use them."

Arianna frowned as she circled Max. "I wish I still had Snowball..." She muttered as she examined her sister's wings.

"Why do you wish you had Snowball? Other than the obvious reasons?"

"Because I want to make you new clothes that suit your station." Arianna replied, still frowning as her mismatched eyes took on a slightly distant look.

Max's eyes lit in interest. "An outfit? Like what?" she asked. Personally all she saw herself being able to wear was her regular clothes since that's all she ever wore. Ever.

"Like my flying suits for a start, but eventually I'll design a whole wardrobe for you." Arianna replied, absently frowning again at Max's hair.

"I know I know, I need to dye my hair." she sighed, hopping that her queen would have forgotten but it was apparent that she hadn't forgotten.

"I didn't know the color was permanent."

"It's not really a problem. I guess I could dye it. Dark brown?"

"If you wanted to shave it and let it go back to it's natural color, I have no objection." Ari studied the other woman. "Gold and brown..." She was planning Max's wardrobe.

"Good idea." she replied and grinned. "Gold and brown huh? What will it look like?"

Arianna shook herself back to the here and now. "Say what?"

"What do the clothes you're envisioning look like?"

"I'll let you know when I have time to plan it out. The flying outfits will be the same as mine though... Reminds me, I need to make a special formal suit for me..."

"Are you planning on making a visit to the Commissioner's home? To at least tell her to lay off?"

"Yes, I'm tired of the runaround, so I'm going to confront them directly."

"Good. I suppose I'm not allowed to come along for that ride?"

"Are you up to being a bodyguard?" Arianna asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm so up for that!" she exclaimed excitedly and clapped.

Her Queen's lips twitched. "It won't be done tomorrow night; we'll have time for the beginning of your weapon's training. I won't lie SwiftSpy, I'm going to work you until you drop."

That made her back straighten. "Uh...really? Cause that might be within the first five minutes." she laughed nervously. "I'm not good with physical training so this might take a lot of work."

"You'll learn, and you'll turn out better than me since your body completely works." Arianna sounded confident. "Too bad we don't have a gym..."

"Ah, that's where I might come in handy. My parents own a gym a few blocks away from here. It's a private gym of course but my parents never go to it so it should be fine to use."

"Can we get in after hours?"

"It's closed then but I can hack the pass codes so the alarm system won't go off."

The queen smiled her approval. "Well done, we'll pay them back when we can, no sense in being accused of stealing the services."

"We don't need to pay them if I'm allowed to use it for free. If they notice anything out of place, I'll tell them I used it. They won't be any the wiser since I'll have looked toned up by the time they notice."

"All right. As long as they won't get you into trouble for it."

"No I won't get into trouble. Don't worry." she smiled and then added. "So, when do I start my training?"

Now Arianna smirked. "I have all night if you do."

"I'm all yours."


	8. Tying up loose ends Part One

Author's note: Once again, thank you to Inu-midoriko for all of her help with this fanfic and a special thank you to i hate your boyfriend for her technical expertise used later on in this chapter. Sorry for the wait, but thank you for sticking with us.

* * *

A week later, Max and Arianna came back from the gym and she collapsed on the couch as she had every night since they started using the space. "My God... I'd hate to have you for a gym teacher..." she muttered into the cushions of the couch.

"We need to get you strong so you can fly when the time comes, believe me when I say that you'll be grateful for this later." Arianna replied, pausing in the middle of a stretch. "To be honest, I'm glad we can use the gym... I was getting out of shape."

Max grinned and turned her head so she was facing the smaller girl. "You? Out of shape? Like anyone would ever be able to tell."

"I'm a lot stronger now than I was before mother died." She hissed as her knee popped, and automatically adjusted her breathing. "But you are still stronger than I am." Arianna looked at Max. "You should stretch out before your muscles lock up and freeze."

Seeing the sense in this, Max nodded and did as her queen suggested to her. She yawned after a few moments. "What's next on the agenda?"

"Have you noticed any food cravings yet?"

"Yeah, actually. Every time I eat processed meat, it tastes off. Like it's gone bad but the dates are still fine."

The Nephilim queen's head snapped around as she narrowed her eyes at Max. "Faster than I expected..." She murmured. "Your body is beginning to adapt to its new state. Thank you for telling me this so that I can start making preparations."

"Preparations?" she asked, snapping her head up. "Why? What does it mean?"

"It means that your body is starting to reject human food." She made a face. "Trust me; I'm going though the same thing."

"Ugh are you serious?! You mean no more pizza?"

"Yeah, anything that's processed or tampered with by human hands, our bodies won't like. When you eat the meat, what you really taste is whatever they did to the meat to package it." The brunette flinched, remembering her last encounter with a pizza. "And don't think about pizza, you'll be sick for days, sometimes you won't have a choice if you are in public but…"

"Aww." Max whined and flipped over on her back. "That sucks." she muttered. "So what are we having for dinner then?" she asked and finally sat up.

"Remember, our kind of splicing goes deeper than looks." Arianna didn't react to the whining. "I'll make some traps tonight and set them. For now we'll make some pasta and salad."

"Won't it taste funny?" she asked and followed her leader into the kitchen.

"Pasta's okay and I always wash the vegetables. Still, when we get an aerie we'll be able to grow and hunt for our own food."

"Good. Oh! Maybe I'll be able to find a way to make pizza!" Max rubbed her hands together in enthusiasm.

"I think as long as we grow everything ourselves it should be fine, then again, you might loose your taste for it too." Arianna answered calmly, once again her mother's daughter.

Max grinned. "Nothing gets by you does it?" she asked and went straight for the cupboard. "When do you think I'll be ready to fly?" she asked and started looking for a can of tomato sauce.

"I'll look at your wings after dinner." The queen promised. "Tonight if your wings look all right, I'll teach you how to withdraw them."

Feeling relief, Max smiled brightly. "Thank you."

Arianna took the plates and began to set the table. "You may think that this is strange, but I don't really miss anything that was once a part of my human world now."

"Do you feel that if you ever miss anything, it could come back to bite you in the ass later on?"

"It's better not to dwell on the past SwiftSpy. I am who I want to be now. Mother was the only person who mattered to me. You could say that she's become a goddess in my heart because she was the one who helped me soar."

Max smiled sadly. "Then I suppose you're the goddess of my heart since you're helping me soar."

"In a way, I think a true Queen must be seen as a Goddess in the eyes of her people, they need to trust her above all others." She said quietly.

"Without trust, you have nothing." Max agreed with a slight nod and finally found the tomato sauce once she moved a few cans out of the way.

"Agreed. As much as I hate that fake doctor, I have to admit that he inadvertently gave me the prime example of what _not_ to do concerning our people little sister."

"He was pretty twisted. I think you'd have to be insane to come up with something like that."

"At least I'm thinking about the long term, and this isn't all about me and my ego." As she spoke, the brunette set the table.

"Yeah, you have a point there." Max brought out a pot and filled it with water. Once she found the noodles, she put them in the boiling water and heated the sauce in the microwave. "Are you seriously considering Chaos?" she asked out of the blue.

"He's not giving me a whole lot of choice in the matter." Her Queen admitted. "He's all but following me around everywhere at school..."

"You could file for harassment." she grinned. "I'm sure he's not all that bad. He's kind of cute, but I'm sure you've already noticed." Max snickered but didn't turn around from the pot to see Arianna's reaction.

"While I admit he's attractive, the fact that he is a thief still bothers me."

"If you can convert him to our side, his skills as a thief could come in handy."

Her fingers quietly drummed on the table. "You have a point..."

"Thank you. My vast knowledge of the tech world can help us in grabbing secret files, Federal or not. I can do anything with a computer. Chaos, he's good at sneaking around, hence why he's a thief, not a robber. He would come in handy when we need something that I can't get through the network."

She nodded. "I wonder if he could handle not eating human food though... You aren't squeamish are you Swiftspy?"

"Depends on what I have to see." she admitted. "I do admit that I get a little uncomfortable around blood though."

"You might need to help me hunt; Rabbits won't be bad, but deer and larger game..." Arianna looked up. "I'll help you of course."

Max looked back at Arianna and grinned. "You better help me. I have no idea how to hunt for anything but secret files."

"Believe me, I've done deer before. It's not hard so long as you don't think about it."

"But I _always_ over-think things. I don't suppose one of your training exercises is how to clear the mind?"

Arianna laughed. "How religious are you?"

"Not very. Why?" she replied. "My parents brought me to church all the time until I was old enough to tell them I had better things to do."

"I'm going to show you how to meditate sometime this week..."

"Thank you. I could really use it, especially when my stress levels are high."

She smiled. "The Nephilim religion means respecting the sky above us and the earth beneath us."

"I can do that." she confirmed and turned off the pot once the noodles were ready. She drained them and put a fair amount on both plates. She covered them with sauce, put one plate on Arianna's side, and sat down with her own.

Arianna gracefully took her seat. "Who do you think will interrupt our dinner, batman or Chaos?"

Max all out chuckled. "Five credits says Batman."

"Ten says Chaos." She smirked.

As if on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Grinning wildly, Max got up. "I'm going to assume that's Chaos since Batman doesn't use front doors."

The queen chewed and swallowed quickly. "You want me to get that?"

"Nope. You stay seated." she replied and went to the door. She peered through the curtain first and had to hide her smirk as she opened the door. "Hello Chaos."

"Max... you look... different." He replied and regarded her hair and the toned muscles she was developing. "Is Arianna in?"

"She is but she's eating dinner at the moment. Let me go see if she wants to talk to you." she closed the door in his face and headed back into the kitchen. "He wants to speak with you. You wanna talk to him now or later?"

"Let him in, he's seen me eat before." She twirled more pasta on her fork and took another bite, but she still tensed slightly.

"Alright. Do you want me to take my food upstairs so you two can talk in private? I won't be far if you need me." she said as she made her way back to the door.

"No, you can stay SwiftSpy. You are in your room enough as it is!" Arianna said firmly, refusing to show Chaos favoritism. "Family comes first."

Max nodded her thanks and opened the door once again. "She'll talk to you. You hungry?" she asked, stepping aside to let him in and lead him into the kitchen.

"No thanks, I already ate."

The queen ate calmly, accustomed to the slightly strange taste of the human food. "Hello Chaos."

Chaos took the proffered seat from Max and watched as she sat down as well and began eating. "Hello. How's this coming along?" he asked, indicating Max and the fact she was being trained but he said it with earnest curiosity.

"She'll be fledged soon." Arianna smiled warmly at Max. "Her wings should be strong enough now I think."

Max's own grin was wide.

"That McGinnis kid keeps questioning me about you, you know." he told Max. "I didn't tell him anything but he seems to think we're best friends now, just because we had lunch together a few times during school."

Max grimaced. "Well… just tell him that what I do in my spare time isn't his concern anymore."

"I tried that. It's like he's trying to pump information from me."

The fledgling sighed. "He'll just give the info to Batman."

"I figured as much."

Silent, the brunette toyed with her food, lost in thoughts. "He's becoming a thorn in my wing..."

"He's more like a kid trying to get in the way 'cause he can't stand being out of the loop." said Max and toyed with a string of noodle.

She chewed for a moment. "I'll deal with this before you fly." This was a promise, from queen to her sister, or her daughter.

"How? Are you going to personally visit him?" asked Chaos, running a hand through his hair.

"Yes. I don't want him pestering my sister and making her nervous before she flies for the first time."

"I'll be alright. McGinnis is one person that I can handle." she replied.

"I don't want you near him sister, you still might feel affection for him and hesitate to hurt him in defending yourself." Arianna said calmly, looking slightly worried.

Inside, Max knew she'd always feel something for Terry. She just had to work in shutting that out. She had to work on objectifying him and everyone else she knew.

"Have you come to a decision?" asked Chaos finally.

"I'll pay him a visit tonight." Arianna said firmly. "Sister, do your wing exercises and when I return I will check your wings."

Max nodded and finished off the last of her noodles. She stood and left the plates on the side. "I'll do them now. Don't worry about the dishes. I'll get them when I'm done."

After she strode out of the room, Chaos turned to Arianna. "That's not the decision I was referring to."

Finishing her meal, Arianna frowned. "Chaos... there will be side affects. Max's body is already starting to change. Soon neither of us will be able to eat normal human food at all."

"You think a small thing like that will sway me from my decision? Sure the food will be missed but it's not the end of the world."

"Can you hunt?"

"I used to be the best in the camp, and I haven't been in a couple years but it's like riding a bike. You stop for a couple years but you never really forget how."

"May I ask what game you hunted?"

"Deer mostly. Duck on occasion."

She raised her eyebrow. "Very nice."

Chaos then grinned. "What, you thought I'd be hunting rabbits?"

"Mother hunted deer, but I can't take one alone, so I learned how to snare rabbits." The queen shrugged.

"For you, that would be acceptable. For me, it wouldn't. If I'm able to hunt three fair sized deer, we'll have enough meat to last the winter, going into late spring."

"I can garden too, but I haven't yet tried my luck with fish. I don't trust the water around here." The queen stood up. "I'll get my crutches and my coat."

"For?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I want Terry dealt with tonight."

"I'm coming with you. I don't trust him." he insisted and stood, ready to be out the door when she was.

A minute later, the queen returned, handing him her jacket and balancing on her crutches before withdrawing her wings. "Do you know where he is tonight?"

"Probably with Wayne. As I understand it, he spends more time at Bruce Wayne's than he does any other place."

She sighed. "Can you hand me my purse on the couch? I'll just call him."

Chaos nodded and, after going though her purse, handed the brunette her phone.

She sat down on the chair and punched in a number. "Hello Terry."

"Arianna?" his voice gave away his surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to call."

"I heard you were asking about me." Her voice was level. "Would you like to talk somewhere?"

"If you don't mind." he responded. "You pick the place. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"The park in half an hour?"

"I'll meet you there."

"Done." Without saying goodbye, Arianna hung up and looked at Chaos. "You can stay nearby, but it's best Terry doesn't see you."

Chaos nodded. "I'll drive you there. Do you want to get there a little earlier so you can get out of the jeep without him knowing I'm staying to watch out for you?"

"Please." She shouldered her bag and stood after putting her phone back.

The dark haired teen led the way to his jeep and helped her up and into the seat. Once he made his way around the vehicle and into the driver's side, Chaos started the engine and drove to the park. The two stayed silent for the whole drive there. When he stopped to let her out, he spoke. "Are you sure you don't want me there?"

Arianna blinked after putting her contacts in. "I'm sure, he'll talk to me more freely if I'm alone. Thank you for the ride." She shook her head to get the hair out of her eyes before smiling at him and letting him help her out of the jeep.

Chaos smiled back. "I'll still be here. I'll just be hidden from view so if you need me, holler."

With a nod, Arianna shuffled off, unafraid of criminals lurking in the darkness. She knew Terry would find her.

Terry drove up in a black car minutes later. When he spotted Arianna on a bench not far from where he parked, he got out and headed his way over. His stride was full of purpose and his gaze was focused, even as he looked around, expecting to see someone else with her. "Good evening." he greeted and chose to stand directly in front of her.

"Good evening Terrence. I hope that you are doing well." Arianna said calmly, sitting on the bench as though it was a throne.

"I've been better, actually." he said. "And you?" Terry asked, going along with pleasantries.

"I've been keeping busy."

"Apparently so." he said with narrowed eyes. "Where's Max? I need to talk to her."

"My sister is safe exercising." A hard protective note entered her voice, remembering the fights with both Terry and batman.

"I need to speak with her." he repeated, his own voice cold and unrelenting.

"No, not now." There was steel in her voice. "It's too soon."

Terry's own tone hardened a little further. "You can't keep her held up like some prisoner. No matter how you look at it, it's inhumane."

Arianna looked disgusted. "She is not a prisoner. This was by her choice."

"Right, so if I ask to come over to your house, you'll let me, assuming she agrees to speak with me?"

"I can't let you and risk you getting her upset at this time."

"Bullshit." he hissed and took a deep breath to calm himself. "You're no better than a prison guard."

"She is still adjusting to her new state." Arianna snapped. "You will only hurt her if you see her before she is ready."

"And how would my presence hurt her? She's fully capable of making her own decisions. She doesn't need a mother to hold her hand every step of the way. She was doing just fine on her own."

"Fool! Idiot!" She swore softly. "The wings aren't the only change that we undergo when we are 'reborn' there are other changes as well! Furthermore, I want her mind clear and completely focused when she tries her wings for the first time."

"In case you hadn't known, our relationship is no where near 'romantic' or however you had looked at it. My presence and meeting with her should have no effect on her 'flying'. If anything, this should be her decision, not yours!" his voice was now raised.

Barring her teeth, she punched in a number. "Chaos, it's me... What? She is _where_?!" Arianna looked as though she had a headache as she listened. "I see. All right, thank you." Arianna hung up with a snap, looking in pain. "Stubborn protective fledgling..." She muttered.

"What? Is it Max?" he asked; worry clouding his features.

"She is coming here." Arianna pinched the bridge of her nose.

Terry swallowed and muttered a quiet 'good' and looked around for the very person he wished to speak to.

Not two minutes later, Max strode up to the two of them.

"Fledgling..." She looked tired.

"Your highness." she kept her gaze down. "I apologize but I couldn't leave you alone to face him and I wanted to speak with Terry myself." she chanced a glance at her queen and smiled nervously. "Not very good at following orders..."

"I didn't want you to speak with him until you were safely fledged." The queen said gently. "It's not a good idea to fly for the first time when you are upset."

"Don't worry about me. I won't be upset. Terry and I just need to talk things through. Something we haven't been able to do for a while." she replied. "Besides, I don't want you getting upset over my behalf. That would make me feel worse."

"Do you want me to stay?" Arianna asked politely, completely ignoring Terry. From the frown that played on her lips, the nephilim queen was remembering what had happened the last time she had given her fledgling privacy.

"I was actually going to ask Terry if he wanted to go for a walk." She said and nervously glanced at Terry. He nodded in agreement and they both waited for Arianna's reaction to that suggestion.

Arianna painfully got to her feet and hugged Max as best she could. "If he touches you- for any reason- put him in the dirt." She murmured softly to her sister so Terry couldn't hear. "Please, just promise me that, I don't want you getting hurt."

Touched, Max hugged her back. "I won't be swayed from you, Arianna. I promise you that." she replied and smiled reassuringly at the smaller girl. She then turned, and with a determined look on her face, led Terry along the path, out of Arianna and Chaos' sight.

"She'll be fine." said Chaos as he slid up behind her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He won't hurt her."

Arianna bit her lip hard. "My head knows that, but I'm still scared." She said softly.

Terry walked beside Max, leaving room between them. "Are you really happy being a prisoner with her?" He demanded.

Max scoffed. "You know, this is exactly why we're unable to solve anything! You jump to conclusions and say things that you know will make me angry!" her cheeks were flushed from repressed anger. "And for your information, I'm not her prisoner. You know that so cut the crap Terry."

"Then why does she keep you apart from all your friends and family just because of your wings!"

"It's something you wouldn't understand. You have to want wings to understand what the risks of being with humans are. She asked me if I was okay with it and I said I was. I don't need my family. I never have and as for friends," she scoffed. "I'm lacking in that area anyway."

"Would you really give your life for her?" His voice was cold. "Do you love her that much?"

"I would." she confirmed with a nod. "I wouldn't say that I love her, not yet anyway. Our relationship is still too young but I do respect her: Immensely. Before you ask, I'm in favor for what she has planned for the future. It will benefit all of us, Terry, but she needs help. She can't do it alone. I, too, am tired of being alone with no one to talk to or greet me when I step through the door. With her, I have companionship."

"Max, what makes you think that Arianna's right? It sounds like this whole Nephilim thing is some kind of weird splicing cult. Do you really think that she'll give you the attentions you say you need once more people start coming into the fold?" Terry said, stressing his cousin's human name as he ran his hand through his black hair.

Annoyed, Max huffed in exasperation, she was starting to wonder just what she had ever seen in Terry. "Yes Terry, I do think Arianna will still pay attention to me. She'll pay attention to all of us." Taking a risk she knew she probably shouldn't, she put a reassuring hand on Terry's shoulder. "I know what I'm doing. I just need you to trust me. Please."

"Splicing isn't right Max, look at the last time! Eventually you are going to see that she is now no different from that Able. How soon is it going to be before the Nephilim take over Gotham City!"

"Terry, just give us a chance! We're not fake like the other version you know of! We're the real deal! You slice off our wings and we die." her eyes turned cold. "Why can't you just accept this? Things are changing Terry, whether you like it or not."

"I can't accept it because I think you are wrong. You aren't cut out for this, and you only did it to get back at me." Terry said through clenched teeth. "Next you'll tell me that you aren't allowed to have a boyfriend unless her _Highness_ approves." It sounded as though he hated his former cousin.

"What do you care anyway?! The only thing you care about is that old man and protecting this city. You made it clear that I wasn't wanted around anymore so you have no right to get angry at the prospect that my _Queen_," she emphasized, "may need to approve of whom I date so they don't jeopardize what she's trying to do."

"I cared about you Max. The reason why I didn't want you involved in any of this is so that you wouldn't get hurt! Besides, she will loose, the whole city is gunning for her. They are talking about a new law in the city that anyone caught with wings will die, no questions asked." Terry's tone could have chewed steel and spit out screws.

Max's expression was one of pure hurt. Tears filled her eyes. "You say that as if you don't care." she wrenched her hand away from his shoulder as if he had burned her.

"We can find a cure for you, but it's too late for her Max."

"No!" she yelled, her temper and hurt feelings getting the better of her. "If you can't accept me for what I am then we're obviously not on the same page and most likely never will be! She's part of my family now Terry. You can either accept it or the next time we meet, we greet each other like enemies."

Putting his hands in his pockets, he stared at Max coldly. "I'm only telling you this because I love you. If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me." He said quietly and started to walk back to his car.

"If you loved me, you'd love me for who I am. No matter what." she muttered and turned her back on the one boy that still held her heart. Slowly, she made her way back to Arianna so she could compose herself.

Arianna was still sitting on the bench, seeing Max; she raised her eyebrow at Chaos. When he left to give them privacy, the queen opened her arms to Max,

Max stepped into them and laid her forehead on her sister's shoulder. "He's not budging SwanQueen." she said softly.

"I knew he wouldn't. He rejected me too, remember?" She said softly, pain in her own voice.

"Yeah... I remember." she sighed and stood up straight. "We'll be just fine without him. We've got tons of work to do and it won't get done by grieving over a boy."

"Are you sure you are all right?" Her queen asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." she smiled reassuringly. "Come on, I've got a flying lesson." she grinned.

Arianna carefully stood up, wincing slightly. "I think Chaos is checking for a good place to put the rabbit snares. Let's go find him." As she moved beside Max, sadness lurked in her eyes. "Do you have regrets SwiftSpy?"

"My only regret is letting Terry in too close." she replied but then shrugged. "It's just another lesson now. You can't trust everyone with your heart."

"Don't worry, you will find your own pairbond. Terry and Dana deserve each other." Anger sharpened the queen's voice slightly. "He is your past, now you can leave him behind without wondering what might have been and focus on what you _want_ to be now, not trying to fit yourself into a mold someone else wants."

Sighing, Max knew she was right. "Alright, first things first, flying lesson. Are we doing that tonight or are we saving that for a better day?"

"Are you up for it tonight?" She asks, freezing for a moment and hissing in pain.

"Yes but it appears you might not be. We don't have to do this tonight. We can take a break for the night and get an early start tomorrow morning."

"Too many people in the daytime and the wind currents are different." Her queen replied, forcing her leg to behave. "I'm fine, just my joints. Getting old."

Max snorted an unladylike sound. "You're hardly 'old'. Where did Chaos park his damned jeep?" she muttered, trying to look around for the vehicle but instead, spotted him crouched near a tree.

Arianna quickly stopped Max. "Shush dear, it's not polite to interrupt another's hunt." A predatory gleam entered the Nephilim Queen's eyes. "I believe he's catching us a nice rabbit." She said softly.

Max quirked an eyebrow. "He's our professional hunter now?"

"Be polite, he's giving us a useful gift and trying to prove his worth just like you did."

Thoughtfully, Max nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. How's he doing so far?"

"I think he will fit in fine, but we will see." She answered quietly, her eyes intent on Chaos as she licked her lips.

Her fledgling grinned. "Hungry?" of course there was an underlying meaning behind that but she didn't let Arianna see that in her expression because she turned away slightly to look around the park.

"It's been a while since I had a nice rabbit. I'm used to eating human food that is slightly off. This will be a welcome change to our diets." Arianna replied quietly. "The fruit of the offerings we are given aren't bad, but soon we well grow our own food as well as hunt."

"I can't wait. I'm going to have fun experimenting with the food to see what I can make." Max replied just as quietly.

"Got ya!" hissed Chaos as he quickly swiped his hand on the rabbit's fur and clutched it by the back of its neck to stop it from running away.

"Nice form." Arianna whispered in a soft but carrying tone of voice. "That was very smoothly done."

"Thanks." he called over his shoulder, took the rabbits neck, and gave it a quick twist, effectively breaking its neck.

Max shuddered. "Yeah... good thing you're our new hunter." she said, sounding disgusted.

"As long as proper respect is given, there is nothing to be disgusted about SwiftSpy. We aren't hunting simply for sport. _That_ is what is disgusting." She said, nodding to Chaos. "Will you skin that here or at home?"

"Home. Skinning a rabbit in public isn't exactly favored upon in society." he replied and stood with the rabbit in hand. He led the girls to his jeep and when they were both in and the rabbit sat next to Max in the back, he drove to Arianna's.

"We were lucky tonight Swiftspy, but in the future, please trust my judgment?" She asked, making it sound like a question instead of an order.

"Right..." she muttered and sighed, knowing she had been in the wrong but also knowing that she would have gone crazy had she not gone to see Terry for herself.

"They are talking about a new law for the city. If this passes, anyone caught with wings will die on sight, no questions asked. I would have let you talk with Terry _after_ you had fledged and learned to withdraw your wings so you could hide." Her hand balled into a fist on her lap. "We need to be careful and bide our time."

"You're right. I shouldn't have been so careless." Max said sincerely. "Any plans on how to overcome this new law?" she asked.

"Not yet, but I'm working on it. I want the two of you stabilized before I turn my attention to the higher ups in the city's so-called justice system. Batman is going to give me enough problems as it is for the moment." Her hands however, were clenching even more in fury.

Chaos didn't miss the fact she had unconsciously told him that he was in with Max but he didn't bring it up. "If you can get the Commissioner on your side, you won't have any problems. Only challenge is to convince her into going against everything she believes in. You'll need a lot of evidence and ideas to both benefit Gotham and the society in order to get to her though."

"I'm of two minds, since it _was_ her husband that got attacked last time..." Arianna looked worried. "I heard she's behind the shoot first policy, though I can't confirm that yet."

He nodded. "I know, hence why you're going to have one hell of a time getting her to listen to you."

"I'll need to deal with batman first before anything else. If possible, I'd prefer to gain that viper nest for our territory first. Nice forest area to hide and hunt in."

"Assuming the FEDs and Batman don't take notice and raid the place after we move in."

"If we move carefully, I think we can put in enough work that they _have_ to work with us..." She looked thoughtful and carefully took out her contacts while at a traffic light. Her blue eye watched Chaos. "How many credits do you have saved up Chaos?"

Chaos grinned and stayed silent for a moment. "Counting the ones I stole a few night ago?"

The nephilim queen raised her eyebrow in reproof. "I thought I told you to give those back, the last thing I need is batman accusing me of using the stolen credits for our work." She pointed out.

"She's right you know. We'll be seen as criminals." Max chimed in.

Chaos sighed but relented. "Alright, I'll do it when I get home later on. Without the stolen creds, I have seven hundred-thousand saved up. Not including what my father has saved for me in another account. But I'm certain our tech girl can hack and get those if needed, correct."

"You bet your ass I can." grinned the younger girl.

Arianna's eyes widened and she whistled in surprise, you could almost see her trying to figure out how many zeros that was.

Chaos chuckled. "Just some of the benefits of having a rich father."

"Two words: shopping trip." Arianna said, feeling proud that her voice was level.

Max chuckled while Chaos grinned. "Honey, for you, I'll accompany you on those trips."

"I should have brought a notebook..." Her fingers began to tap impatiently. "New computers, printers, paper, binders, fabric, seeds, books..."

"We can devise what we need when we get back to your place." he was silent a moment. "Which is now." said Chaos and swiftly pulled into the driveway.

Arianna was careful getting out, her mismatched eyes carefully scanning the skies. "Seems safe..."

"For what?" asked Max, getting out of the jeep with the rabbit in one hand.

"I don't want batman showing up when we test your wings. Chaos, can you handle the rabbit while Max and I get the mattress?" The queen limped to the door and opened it for them as she spoke.

Both of them nodded and while Chaos went to the kitchen to see to the rabbit, Max went to the basement to retrieve the mattress they agreed to use for flying. Together, Max and Arianna carried it outside and set it down.

"You might want to strip for this sister. It's easier that way." Arianna said as she adjusted the mattress slightly, eyeing the jumping off point. "Clothing is more trouble than it's worth at first."

For a moment, Max stood stark still. The prospect of being naked with Chaos around didn't sit well with her but she didn't question and she didn't disobey. She had done enough of that today and she felt she owed Arianna her co-operation in this.

"We'll all see each other naked at some point or another anyway." Her Queen explained as she stripped without any shame or reluctance before stretching her wings out to their full length. "You'll fledge nude because I need to see how your muscles move, Chaos will need to do the same when he fledges. Don't be ashamed of your body, take pride in it."

"That's easier said than done..." she muttered and with a rising blush, she shed the last of her clothes. "Okay, now that I'm naked and totally open for view to anyone that happens to look up this way, what do I do?"

With a smile of understanding, Arianna led the way to the tower that they used to climb to the roof. When they got to the top, the queen looked down to make sure that everything was in order, then double-checked Max's feathers and back muscles. "I want you to watch what I do first so you can see what happens to your body in flight first."

Max nodded. "Yeah I think that would be best too. That way I don't go down before I really start." she giggled at the thought of falling out of nerves but then cleared her throat and composed herself. "Sorry. Nervous."

"That's all right. Now watch what I do." Arianna limped to the edge of the roof and raised her slender arms above her head as though in prayer. She stood motionless for a moment, her back muscles quivering before she plummeted. Two strong wing beats and the naked queen soared into the air, returning, she hovered in the moonlight in front of Max. "Well?"

"Okay, I just gotta take it slow. No running off the roof right?" she asked and took a deep breath before following what he queen did and stood at the edge of the roof with her hands in the air as though in prayer.

"For now you can do as I did, but you can run to get airborne in the future since your body is stronger than mine." She replied calmly as she came in to land lightly on the roof, even though it hurt.

"Yeah... until I got the hovering this down I think I'll stick to standing first."

"The rabbit will be ready in-" the sound of Chaos' dying voice startled Max and she stumbled. She used her wings to cover herself and turned to Arianna, who hadn't moved from her spot.

Chaos' mouth went dry when he realized they were naked but then all his focus zeroed in on Arianna. Trying not to stare too openly, he managed to get out his words. "The rabbit will be ready soon."

"Thank you very much." Arianna spoke calmly. "That was very kind of you. Did you save the hide?"

"The... the hide? Oh! The hide!" he cleared his throat and looked down at her feet inside of her face. The temptation to let his eyes roam was less tempting down at her feet. "Yes I saved it. I wasn't sure if you wanted to use it for something or not."

"Yes I did. Thank you." Arianna turned back to Max. "I'll catch you if you fall my fledgling, don't be afraid."

"Right now, falling ain't what I'm afraid of." she glared at Chaos. "Go away, you can look at Arianna later." this seemed to snap Chaos out of his daze. He glared back for a moment or two but did as Max asked and left.

Her lips quirked in a slight smile, but she said nothing as she waited patently for her fledging to try her wings.

"Okay, let's try that again..." Max said and unfolded herself from her wings and spread them out, fully intent this time on trying them out. She raised her hands once again, did exactly what Arianna had done only she stayed in the same place, and hovered for a few brief moments. Joy overcame her features but she knew she had a lot more work to do.

Back in the kitchen, Chaos was furious. Furious with need, and furious with Arianna.

Never before had he just stared and stammered like a freshmen in high school over the sight of a naked woman. And never before had his obvious attentions gone unnoticed or without care. He growled and took a calming breath. He vowed to get his wings. And when he did, Arianna would see him for the man he was. In every way imaginable.

Three hours later, Max looked exhausted as Arianna helped her back into the house. "You have to pace yourself Swiftspy. This isn't going to happen overnight." The queen was saying as she opened the door. Chaos noted that both women were fully clothed now. "Still, I think that you are starting to get the hang of it. Later I will show you how to pull your wings back in, but for now, go wash up and get some rest."

Max was far too tired to protest and made her way upstairs to do what her queen suggested.

Chaos had been keeping busy by washing the hide to make sure it was clean. "How'd it go?" by now he had calmed himself down to be civilized once more and think clearly but when he turned to look at her, he couldn't shake the image of her standing naked from his thoughts.

"It went very well, she catches on quickly." Arianna got herself some water, but made a face even though she drank the glass. "Darn it..."

"What?" he asked, concern lacing his voice against his better judgment.

"The water tastes of tampering too... can't humans leave anything alone..."

"If you want I can install a filter?"

"We can try it." She put the glass on the counter and studied the hide. "Very nice work." Arianna praised.

"Thanks. I wanted it as clean as possible since you'll most likely be using it for clothes."

"I think I'll leave the fur on this one and save it to make some gloves for Swiftspy. She will need them this winter." She stroked the fur. "This one is beautiful."

Chaos grinned. "And what color would you like, my queen?"

"Leave them natural for now. I've never tried sowing hide before, but it shouldn't be too difficult..." She frowned thoughtfully. "Mother would kick my ass though..."

"Why is that?" he asked. "She wasn't one for using animal hide for clothing?"

"No, she didn't like fur or hide." Arianna shrugged. "My reasoning is that if we hunt for ourselves, we should use as much as we can. The more we can do for ourselves, the less we need to rely on help from humans."

"I think that if she heard that reasoning she might reconsider."

"I would hope so." The brunette said softly. "I really hope so..."

"She would." he put a hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly at her. "Besides, once you turn these bad boys into mitts, there's no way she would turn down the idea."

"I'll need to do some serious thinking about winter clothing. It's going to be a challenge..." Arianna tapped her nails against the counter.

At this, he turned completely to her and took both of her shoulders. "You're a smart girl, you'll figure it out. Ask Max for some ideas too. She's not without an imagination."

"I will." Arianna promised. "For now, I'm taking a nap before school…" She yawned, clearly exhausted and forgetting it was the weekend. "It's going to be a long day…"

"It's Saturday morning, Arianna. There's no school today, but go take a nap. I've got everything under control here."

Arianna blinked her mismatched eyes and tried to focus. "Don't call me by that name." She managed

"It's the name you presented to me. What do you expect me to call you? Girl?"

"SwanQueen is my Nephilim name. Arianna is dead and has been for a long time." She managed, starting to move and tripping.

Chaos sighed and picked her up bridal style. "Your room?" he asked, refusing to acknowledge what she had just said.

"Down the hall, next to the bathroom." Her eyes were closed, on the verge of sleep.

Chaos walked her there and set her gently on her bed. He kissed her forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up." he said softly before covering her over with the blanket.

The queen didn't hear, she was fast asleep, looking vulnerable and innocent on the bed her wings wrapping around herself protectively.

Almost ten hours later Max's eyes cracked open. She looked to the clock on the side of her bed and sprang upright. She was surprised at how long she had slept. Rising out of bed, she quickly went downstairs walked over to the queen's bathroom but when she found Arianna sleeping, she frowned. Surely, her queen didn't need that much sleep! The most she did was talk her through what she had to do. Panicking slightly, Max entered her room.

Arianna stirred slightly and wiggled on her side, but otherwise did not move when her sister entered the room. This wasn't like her queen at all.

Max, now growing even more worried, sat down on the bed next to her and gave her a shake. "SwanQueen... wake up," she said in a soft voice.

"Hm?" She mumbled. "Wha?

"You've been sleeping for ten hours."

Unfolding her wings, Arianna swung her legs over, revealing that she's slept in her clothes as she straightened out her glasses. "He said that he'd let me sleep myself out."

"He? Chaos?" Max asked, confused. "Did he say if he was staying?"

"If he said so, I didn't hear." The queen admitted. "I nearly passed out in his arms."

Max grinned. "Very well. Are you hungry? Did you want to sleep some more?"

"I've slept enough for now, though I'll be in debt for a while longer yet..." Shaking her head, the brunette eyed the desk and the floor around it that was covered in books, notebooks and other assorted papers.

"I know what you mean. I have a lot of work to do on my computer, among other things."

"How do you feel? Sore? Are you in any pain?"

"Muscles ache but I guess that's natural right? I did work them pretty hard last night."

"We should wash up; by the skies I'm tired...." Arianna managed to get to her feet.

"You can shower first. I'll go see if Chaos is still here." she offered and stood with a stretch.

"You can use the shower upstairs if you want. I won't be long down here. There is too much to do today. If Chaos is here, could you ask him if he feels like going out later?"

Max made her way to the kitchen and sure enough, Chaos was there. "Hey," she greeted.

Chaos turned to her and smiled. "Hey, sleep well?"

"Yeah, SwanQueen is up too. She's going to get a shower before joining you. She also wants to know if you don't mind going out a little later."

"I don't mind at all." he replied and shifted in his seat on the chair, book in hand.

"Good. I'll see you soon. Gotta shower." With that, she sleepily made her way upstairs to her bathroom.

About twenty minutes later, Arianna slowly came into the room. Her tightly braided and coiled hair once again dyed a dark brown and she was wearing her contacts. "Were you here all night?" She asked after she greeted Chaos. Though she looked better than she had the day before, even the light dusting of make-up didn't quite cover the dark circles that were still under her eyes.

"No I went home to change and freshen up. I came back as soon as I was done though." he looked her over. "You look good."

The Nephilim queen blushed. "You didn't have to do that; you must have been very bored. I apologize for making you wait for so long." She took a deep breath, regaining her control. "I thought that we should go shopping today to get things that we need before the police grow any more paranoid. Would that be all right with you? We probably could find deals online, but I don't want to risk anything."

Chaos smiled sincerely at her. "Don't be sorry. I was occupied most of the night with this book here." he indicated the book he was holding. "As for supplies, I don't mind grabbing them at all. Don't worry about prices. We'll make that my job."

"Just take comfort in the fact that soon we'll be on our way to doing things for ourselves, even if we have to backslide a little bit in the process." She patted his shoulder. "I'll go see if Max wants to go with us."

"I have no doubt in our abilities." he replied as he watched her make her way to Max in the bathroom upstairs.

Slightly out of breath when she reached Max's bedroom on the second floor, she tapped on it politely. "Sister, may I enter?" Arianna asked.

"Yes, of course." Max called out. "I'm decent, don't worry."

"I wouldn't worry, but I know that upsets you." Arianna said as she entered, studying Max with a pleased look on her face. "Would you like to come with us today? Or would you rather wait until you are fully fledged to learn to hide your wings?"

"I'll wait but thank you for inviting me. I don't want to make us a target. Don't worry about me, go have fun."

"Do you have a list of things that you would like or need?" Arianna asked, not leaving right away. Wanting to make sure Max's needs were met before her own.

"No I'm okay for now. If I do happen to think of something I'll call Chaos' cell and let him know."

"All right... Swiftspy..." She paused uncertainly. "I am proud to call you my sister; you are truly worthy of being a Nephilim."

Max smiled and in her eyes SwanQueen could see the growing adoration Max held for her. "Same to you, my Queen."

With a shy smile, the queen left the room, politely closing the door behind her. She carefully made her way down the stairs, her body tensing with fear that she would fall.

Chaos was right there at the foot of the stairs when she came down, ready to help her if she needed. "Ready?"

"Yes. She said that she would stay here." Breathing a sigh of relief, she reached the bottom without mishap. "Is my coat and purse still on the couch? I don't remember."

"No I have them by the front door." he replied and led her to the door. "Do you have a list or will you remember off hand what will be needed?"

"I'll know on sight what I need," Arianna assured him. "Mostly I want to get books and see what they have in the craft store... though I was thinking about getting something special for us all..."

Chaos nodded and opened the door for her. "Alright. We have all day anyway."

Arianna turned shy again as he helped her into the car. "Do you know anything about laptops or computers?"

He chuckled. "Not as much as Ma- SwiftSpy, but I do know a fair amount."

"I was thinking of getting one for myself, but every time I try to use one at school it smokes and makes strange sounds."

"We'll get you a good one then and I'll show you the basics. Max can teach you all the technical things." he replied and as soon as he started the engine when he got in, he drove out of the driveway and headed for the nearest mall.

"Thank you." Arianna answered, sinking deeper into her coat for warmth, "I hope you like the gift I choose for us, I think it would help us get things done quicker."

"I'm sure I will. You seem to know exactly what everyone needs so don't worry, I have faith in your decisions."

Arianna beamed. "I can only do my best, but if you think that it is a waste of credits, then please tell me."

"Alright." he agreed and soon they came to the mall. He helped her out of his jeep and together, they made their way into the crowded building.

Arianna stayed closer to Chaos than normal, the only sign of her unease in a crowded place. "Let's go into that store, and I will show you the gift I was thinking of getting." Her voice showed no sign of her fear as she pointed to a tech store.

"I noticed." he commented. "It's alright." he looked around the store and couldn't fathom what it was she had found. "What is the gift?"

With a smile, she started down one of the rows as though looking for something, then brightening. "Here it is!" She pointed to a red box. It was a voice-recognition computer program. The program looked top of the line, and was the professional version, hence why it cost so much.

"Nice. No more typing for us huh?" he grinned and held the box for her. "Anything else in here you wanted?"

"We will need three; the program is only made for one user each." Arianna answered. "You are a good typist, but I felt that this would help things a bit. Even if our sister can't use it when she is working, I thought it would help her with her homework and other things."

Chaos grabbed two other boxes of the same program and made his way to the cash register. "Where do we need to go from here?"

"We can just wander around if you'd like." The queen answered politely. "The mall is bigger than I remember it..."

"Good idea." he replied and paid for the three programs. Taking the bag in one hand, he took hers in his other and together they wandered around the mall, as Arianna suggested.

They stopped again at the craft store, and Chaos saw her for the first time in her element. She carefully examined the needles and thread, but frowned at the yarn and cloth on display with a disgust that bordered on hatred. "A pity that I no longer have my supplies..." Arianna murmured as she tested embroidery hoops.

"Why? What's wrong with the yarn and cloth here?"

She took up a hank of yarn and pointed to the threads. "This is roughly woven, as is fit for a child, is it not tight enough. See how the yarn is thicker in certain colored places than others?"

"Yeah," he replied and took a step for closer inspection.

"Most of the yarn and cloth is synthetic these days, though most people cannot tell the difference. They glitz and glamorize things so that no one realizes how poorly they are made."

"What are you going to use then?"

"I hope one day that I will be able to replace the things that I lost and make my own cloth and yarn, perhaps one day my own thread as well." As she spoke, she selected some spools of thread and placed then in a shopping basket along with the hoops that she'd selected.

"I'm sure that day will come sooner than you think." he replied and helped gather the supplies she needed before taking them to the cashier.

Arianna sighed. "By Sky and Earth, I hope that you are right. I miss doing things myself. It goes against the grain to buy things when with a little time and effort, we can do it ourselves!"

Once Chaos paid for the sewing supplies, he turned to her with a grin. "Are you hungry?"

"We can stop if you are hungry if you'd like." Arianna said politely.

"I was only thinking of your needs." he replied with a smaller grin.

"I can wait until we are home again..." She stopped suddenly, and pulling him back just before they left the store. "Trouble times two ahead."

Chaos looked ahead to see Terry with Dana. Only he looked bored out of his mind. "What the hell..." he grabbed her hand and quickly tried to lead her out of their sight.

"I neither know nor care, but this is not what we need today. What he does is none of our concern." She replied, though she looked slightly smug nonetheless.

"What's with the look?" he asked and glanced back, making sure they hadn't seen them retreating. His gaze, however, locked with Terry's and for a moment, Chaos' eyes narrowed. Terry's had also but he looked away when Dana asked him a question. Steering Dana in then opposite direction, he answered her and shot one last loathing glance back at Chaos.

"Nothing. Let's go. You said you were going to show me some laptops." Arianna smiled quietly.

"Yeah…" he led her to the computer store and once in there, he went straight for the various laptops lined up on a counter at the far end of the room.

Arianna looked confused as she looked at the laptops on display. "Do they have an idiot-proof section?" She asked worriedly.

"The ones in the front row, notice how they're smaller? They're the portable ones, not a lot of room on the hard drives, but very easy to just throw in your bag and go, normally for school work and things like that. The middle laptops are more recreational, they normally have larger hard drives and things that you don't really need like HD screens and large sound systems. They're gaming and entertainment computers, and finally the last row, the larger ones are for working, while they have nice features too, they normally come with much larger hard drives and a backup hard drive just in case the first one dies on you, they're the ones for small businesses and things like that."

The queen nodded slowly, but looked out of her depth. "I... see..." Her eyes behind her colored contacts looked thoughtful. "We might as well cut to the chase and head to the back row..."

"I'm assuming you need something that is going to really withstand some beatings, correct?" He asked as he led the way.

"I intend to use it for school and my own work, but I'm just going to be happy if it doesn't smoke and explode when I try to use it." She replied. "I was thinking about getting one for our sister too..."

Nodding he bent down to look at a Toshiba. "Well then what you want is one of these." He said, pointing to the box right below one of the display computers. "Toshiba makes hardware, they're a little pricey, depending on whom you compare them to, but they'll last you, Max too."

"Anything else you would recommend?" His queen asked quietly, her eyes watching the laptops as though they were a row of snakes that were about to bite her.

"I really like this one." He stated, picking up a box similar to the one that he'd been looking at just a few moments ago. "It's got a large screen, a 500 GB hard drive, 6 GB of ddr 2 RAM, a dual core processor, and it's only going to be about nine-hundred credits with tax." He showed the box to the woman before him.

"Will it work with the Dragons we bought?" She asked, taking a careful step towards it.

He nodded. "Yes, in fact, it should work great. It comes with windows seven but since that is a horrible operating system..." He went silent for a moment as he internally grumbled at Bill Gates for releasing yet another horrible operating system. "I can unload that and put windows XP on, since that is the closest to perfect you will get, as far as your computer crashing, and the dragons will be compatible."

"All right, we'll get two, unless you were thinking about upgrading yours too."

He shook his head. "Mine is alright. These also have webcams so you two can see one another while you talk online."

"I doubt we'll use them, but it's good to know." Arianna smiled.

He couldn't help but smile back. "They might come in handy, you never know." He said as they walked in step to the registers.

"I think after this, we can check out the office supplies before calling it a day."

The dark haired teen nodded in acknowledgment. "That's not too far from here." once he paid for the two laptops, he held all the bags in one hand while he held his hand out for Arianna to take.

"We'll need a lot of things… is your car big enough?" She asked, slightly brushing Chaos's hand with her own before adjusting her grip on her crutch. "Originally I was thinking of spacing this out but…"

Chaos led her out of the store and made his way to the office supplies store not too far away from where they were. "Don't worry; the back of my jeep can store a lot more than it looks like it can. Besides, I'm told women are experts on packing things in. I'm sure you'll find a way to fit it all in." he grinned at her, his expression one of amusement.

Arianna flung him a dirty look, her eyes flashing behind her brown contacts. "You are going to regret that…" She promised quietly, keeping her eyes in front of her.

Chaos' amused expression only deepened. "I'm sure I will." he replied and couldn't help but flash a predatory look at her.

Once they were in the store, he looked around and whistled. "How much were you planning on getting?"

The queen frowned thoughtfully. "Folders, binders, notebooks, three-hole punches, I'd like a filing cabinet or two, organization systems..." Her eyes turned deeper inward. "I think I better call my sister and see if she needed a new printer or ink..."

Chaos handed her his cell phone. "Use this to call her." he replied and went to the filing cabinets and file organizers. If they were going to get a filing cabinet, it would have to be small enough that it could fit in his back seat.

Ignoring the pain in her feet, the brunette left the store to sit on the bench nearby. Punching in the house number, she listened to it ring...


	9. Tying up loose ends Part Two

Author's note: Once again, sorry for the long wait and thanks to Inu-midoriko for all of her wonderful help with this chapter. I hope that you will enjoy this chapter and please remember to leave a review!

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While her queen was shopping Max was taking a break from her computer by exercising, enjoying the new flexibility of her body as she concentrated on feeling the burn. The house was quiet, but the fledgling knew that SwanQueen would return when she was ready. Hearing the phone ring SwiftSpy answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi there, I'm at the store, is there anything you need? Printer ink or anything like that?" Her Queen's calm voice answered.

"Hmm... pick up a few more cards of RAM. Chaos will know which ones."

"They make RAM cards? Hm... okay. Anything else?" The Nephilim Queen sounded impressed.

"Unless you can somehow find a cheese burger that doesn't have human toxins in it I'm good."

Arianna laughed. "Sorry sis. See you when I get back."

"Yes ma'am!" she said loudly and saluted just before hanging up.

Five minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. It sounded almost as if wood was striking wood.

Max frowned and walked to the door. Peaking out the window, she frowned when she saw the elderly Bruce, but let him in anyway. "Hello Mr. Wayne." She greeted as she stepped aside.

"Hello Max. Is Arianna in? I was hoping to finally meet the girl I'm lending my house out to."

"I'm sorry, she went shopping, Arianna should be back soon though." Max flipped her wings nervously as she took a seat on the stool in front of the couch. "That's not the only reason why you are here is it?"

Bruce only grunted and made his way inside without permission. It was his house after all. "I'll wait." he grumbled and sat down at the kitchen table.

Narrowing her eyes, Max got off the stool, walked to her queen's room, and made sure her door was locked. "Feel free." She replied.

Bruce hummed as he rested his chin on his folded hands as he waited for Arianna to get home. Max looked a lot better than he had ever seen her. She was actually growing out her hair and her complexion was a lot smoother. He wouldn't admit it but the girl was taking good care of herself since her bonding with Arianna.

Max resumed her seat on the stool, her falcon wings half-spread. "Why do you want to see her?" She asked.

Bruce only looked at her but didn't answer. His business was with Arianna and if he didn't want to share, he wouldn't.

As the silence stretched, Max sighed, she then turned her back on him and went back to reading the textbook that Chaos had gotten her.

Nelson Nash strutted through the mall, with an irritated scowl on his usually charming face. He made a bet with his buddies and was loosing terribly. They challenged him to get a date by tonight to go to the party one of his friend's cousin was hosting. It was supposed to be big and with Nash always bragging about how he could have any girl he wanted begging to go with him, they decided to call him on it. So far, he was unsuccessful. Which was so unlike himself but every girl he came across was either taken or disinterested. He needed a date and he needed one fast.

Looking to his right, he spotted Arianna coming out of a computer store with a few bags hanging from her wrists as she held onto her crutches. Smirking, he decided Arianna would be decent enough. It would make him seem sensitive to the other hot chicks at the party and totally show his friends up. He'd prove that he could get any girl. Making his way over to the unsuspecting dark-haired brunette, he stuck one hand in his pocket and with a grin on his face, he greeted her. "Hey Angel."

Arianna looked over calmly, then returned her attention to walking on her crutches. "Nelson." She greeted politely, shifting her weight to her other foot, her eyes scaning for a bench.

"What brings you here?" he asked, making small talk.

"I'm just doing some shopping that I've been putting off. You?" Her tone was very polite and she tried to ignore the twitches starting in her left leg.

"Pretty much the same." he grinned and just noticed her discomfort. "There's a bench just over there." he indicated to the bench about five paces away.

Arianna gave him a look of gratitude. "Thank you. I didn't know the mall was so big." She said as she tried not to hobble to the bench. "Nothing serious, just need to rest for a minute."

"No problem." he said as he followed her to the bench. "Are you here with someone?"

"Chaos drove me, he's picking up some other things we need for the class project." The brunette shrugged. "He told me to wait outside because the line was long."

"Are you two a couple or something?" he asked, a frown of irritability itching into his features.

"That remains to be seen, depends on his mood." Arianna shrugged as she stretched her leg out after sitting down, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Way too many people here..."

"Since you're not decided on him yet, I was wondering if you would like to go out tonight."

Her head snapped to look at him. "I thought you'd be at a party or something. I'm not good at parties, too many people in too small a space." With effort, she kept her tone level.

"Well that's the thing, I need a date for this party and I thought you could use the rest and go with me." he replied, ignoring the fact she just said she was uncomfortable in parties.

She narrowed her eyes, a glint of something starting to stir in their depths. "Did you try Dana? I heard a rumor that you were dating after she broke up with Terry."

"Nah she's trying to get that loser back. So, whatd'ya say? Wanna be my girl tonight?"

The brunette went very still, almost too much so, but said nothing for a moment. "I am no one's girl, I belong only to myself." Her eyes were holding something dangerous in them, but most would not notice the warning until it was too late.

"Hey babe, I didn't mean any offence. Come on, just one night of fun." he said grinning, not knowing that he was starting to unleash Arianna's temper.

Her eyes narrowed fiercely, but you had to give her credit for not shredding him to the bones right then and there. "You don't know what you are asking." Arianna informed him tightly.

`Sure I do. I'm asking a perfectly able girl, to accompany me, a perfectly able to boy, to a party. What's there not to get? Come on, Red."

"Why do you call me red?" She asked, resuming her scanning of the crowds.

Nelson shrugged but the grin never faded. "You remind me more of a red head than a brunette." he replied and shrugged again. "It's better than calling you `Brown`."

Arianna chuckled softly. "I see." Then she frowned. "He's been in there a while..." She made as though to stand up, a concerned frown still on her face.

Just as he put a hand on her shoulder to make her stay down, Chaos came out of the store and immediately saw Nelson's hand on her. Frowning, he walked over and put a hand on Nelson's shoulder. "Is there a problem here Nash?" Nelson let go on Arianna to face Chaos.

"Everything's fine."

"Then I suggest you move along."

"Or what?"

"You'll regret not doing so." his tone and gaze was cold.

"I'm taking Arianna to a party tonight bud. And you know what? There ain't nuthing you can do to stop me since she doesn't want you."

Chaos' jaw clenched hard and it took all he had not to sucker punch the cocky jock. His gaze landed on Arianna's, silently asking if it was true.

Her eyes cold, she shook her head mutely, the barest movement of her head. "I need a drink. let's head to the food court."

Chaos nodded. "Good idea. Nice seeing you Nash, as it turns out, Arianna and I have a previous engagement so if you don't mind."

Knowing when not to cross the line Nelson cursed under his breath. "Yeah whatever." and he stormed off while the two made their way to the food court.

The nephilim queen's eyes still weren't exactly normal as she allowed Chaos to lead her away. "Sky above and earth below there are times I hate humans..." She muttered to him.

"I know what you mean." he replied and when they reached the court, he grabbed them a table and set their things down. "What do you want?"

"Just water, I need to recenter before I loose it." Arianna said, still looking tense.

"Are you okay?" he asked, clearly there was something off about her since the encounter.

"Remember how those who were spliced in the diluted form got angrier faster?"

"Vaguely." he answered.

"Well, I'm right on the edge of going into what I call the Rage. It was one of the side-effects that couldn't be changed or controlled."

Chaos nodded, not really knowing how to respond to that. "Is there anything else you need? We can leave if you need to."

Arianna eyed him. "I won't give a human that power and let him gloat as I flee." She said in a low voice, pointing with her eyes to an annoyed Nelson who was glaring at them from the edge of the court.

"Good idea. What would you li-" it was at that moment gunfire was heard. Screams filled the mall but over everyone, a man in the middle of the court was waving his firearm and shooting the ceiling.

"Shut up, all of you! Or I'll shoot every last one of you!"

Her eyes flashed as the normal human side of her was shoved aside to allow the Rage free rein and she calmly took her contact holder out of her purse, removing the irritants that would distract her. "Watch my things Chaos." It was not a request.

"Don't kill him." was all he said as he sat down and looked after her things while she dealt with the outraged, armed man.

Saying nothing to acknowledge she had heard him, Arianna shrugged off her coat, revealing that she was wearing one of her special shirts underneath it as she got to her feet, splattering droplets of blood around her with the force of her wings emerging from her back. The look in her eyes was not human as she straightened and slowly turned towards the offender.

Nelson, having watched Arianna's every move even when the insane man began to shoot the ceiling, felt a dampness in his pants. Looking down, he blushed furiously as fear rippled through his body. Arianna was a monster. He had nearly taken a monster to a party with him. Screw this, was his only thought as he ran from the insane man, that monster and his embarrassment.

The man noticed Arianna and pointed his gun at her. "Bitch with wings, you best get down on the ground now!" he yelled and put his finger on the trigger.

For an answer, Arianna snarled, her eyes focused only on him as she slowly walked towards him. "Rabid dog, you won't taste good..." She answered, but licked her lips as she eyed him.

"Stay back!" he fired but missed and hit the post beside Chaos' head.

"Jesus... a little close there." muttered the wavy haired teen.

The Nephilim queen didn't notice- or perhaps she didn't care- as she spread her wings wide for balance, looking as though she was going to pounce on him. All you could see in those mismatched eyes was the hunger that came with the Rage.

Now scared, the man fired four more rounds, all missing by mere inches, until he was out of bullets. "Fuck!"

Terry saw all this from the sidelines now took a chance to sneak up behind the man and when he was close enough; quickly moved to the man's side and punched him square in the face, making him fall over. "Stay down." he said coldly and faced Arianna. "Are you alright?" What he didn't count on, was the man to actually disobey him and get back up. However, he had no idea the man was back on his feet because he was facing his cousin.

"My prey." She growled. "He'll get away, move."

Terry looked back and stepped aside out of reflex to being so close to a threat.

Arianna punched the offender in the gut all her strength, knocking the gun out of his hand and sending it flying. "Rabid dog dirty, won't taste good." She growled in disappointment.

"Wha-what?" the man's eyes widened, not knowing what he was getting into.

Snarling, she grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look into her eyes. "No yapping, time for a bath." Snatching his collar, she looked around, uncaring about everyone else as she scanned the area. Seeing a fountain, her eyes gleamed and she started to slowly drag him towards it.

Terry put a hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Arianna turned her head and snarled at him. "Giving dog a bath, my prey, go away." There was no recognition in her Rage filled eyes when she looked at the human touching her.

"If you start to drown him I'll have to stop you." he said with promise to his tone and let her go with the man to the fountain.

Snarling again, she ignored the babbling man and resumed dragging him to the fountain. "In!" The queen ordered sharply.

"No!" the man shouted and tried running away.

Grabbing a fist full of his hair, she yanked it hard, ignoring the blood and dragged him back. "You must get clean, you were bad."

"Let go, let go, let go!" the man screamed and tried punching her. "Damn it, bitch, let go!" tears brimmed his eyes as he fought her.

The queen ignored him. "Would you rather be put down?"

At this, the man stilled and chocking back a sob, he complied. "Okay, okay fine."

Slowly, the queen let go. "In!" She repeated the command in a verbal whiplash,

The man got in and stood there, knee deep in the fountain, not knowing what else to do.

"Wash!" The queen ordered, rinsing the blood off her talons to demonstrate.

Bending down, the man rinsed off his arms, his face and hair. "C-can I go now?"

For an answer, Arianna frowned snatching his arm and scoring it lightly with her nails before studying the skin. "Still dirty, bad tasting..." Rinsing them, she repeated the process. "Very dirty rabid dog..."

He screamed in pain and ran to the other side of the fountain. "Stop it!"

"No yelping! Bad dog!"

"I'm not a dog! I'm a human being damn it! What the hell do you want from me?"

For an answer, she snarled again and made as though to circle the fountain.

Chaos stood next to Terry, both having a frown on their faces. They weren't sure what Arianna was trying to prove, but it was successful in getting the man to cower. "So... which one of us calms her down?" asked Terry.

"She won't calm until he's 'cleansed'. Personally, I think he deserves this. But if you want to see him actually go to jail any time soon, I'd get one of the civilians here to phone the police and then tell the guy that he needs to strip and wash his entire body."

"I'm hungry." Arianna snarled, her mismatched eyes blazing. "I want you clean, not getting dirty."

"On second thought, I think she wants to eat him." said Chaos and Terry gave him a horrified look.

"Excuse me?"

"She's going to eat him if she's not stopped."

"Help me stop her!"

"Sorry you're on your own Terry."

Growling, he shoved Chaos away.

During this argument, the queen had gotten fed up and was now dunking him and scrubbing her prey with her nails, she ignored his screams and shouts of pain. Although the skin was now a clean pink with scrubbing, she hadn't broken the skin at all. Still, she did not look pleased. "Still dirty..." She muttered as Terry approached her.

"Arianna, the police are coming. You need to leave. He'll be taken care of."

Dana, watching Terry's soft approach, couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He hadn't given her that tender look in so long that the mere thought of him giving it to anyone else made her angry and broke her heart at the same time. She was, however, too frightened to come out from under the table so she stood her ground and decided to talk to Terry about it some other time when their lives weren't being threatened.

Whipping her head around, she snarled. "Mine!"

"No. He's not yours. He belongs to the Federals. If you take him, you'd be stealing." he spoke to her as if he would a child. "You need to let him go, Arianna. You don't want him. He's dirty."

The queen's snarl deepened into a growl, her eyes still dancing in rage. There was no sign that she even knew who Terry was.

Sighing, Terry was going to physically pry her off of him but sirens were heard about a block away from the mall. "You have to go." said Terry in a hushed tone.

The queen jumped, startled by the loud noises and looking angry quickly searched for something to something to jump off of to fly. Settling for the top of the fountain, she climbed on top quickly and jumped. Once in the air, she shot up to the glass that let in the sunlight and looked for the lock to open it.

Watching her escape, Chaos swore and grabbed their things and headed for the nearest exit to get home before or a little after her.

Terry followed suit but instead of going to her place, he followed her.

Before Terry could get to the door, Dana scrambled out from under the table she had been hiding under to avoid the gunfire. "Terry, what was that _monster_?" She asked in a voice that shook.

"That wasn't a monster, Dana." he snapped, both irritated and in a hurry. "Go home, I'll explain later."

Dana slapped him, still looking scared. "You are a bastard! I'm s-s-scared out of my wits and you care more about the monster that nearly got us all killed and didn't even care!"

Terry grabbed her wrists and pinned them down. "Listen to me! If it weren't for her, we'd all be dead! Whether you like it or not, she saved us from getting shot." with cold eyes, he shoved her away, unable to look at her. "This can't work between us Dana. Go home." with that he ran to the exit to get in his car and follow the girl he once knew as his cousin.

Arianna soared toward the park, looking for a place where there were no humans, snarling all the while. When Terry found her, he found her ripping a raw rabbit and eating it raw. Her mismatched eyes flashing when she scented Terry, clearly she wasn't happy he had followed her. "My prey, go away!"

He approached her cautiously and still kept his distance in case she turned on him. "Arianna... are you alright?" he really didn't know what else to say other than that. He scratched his head, ignoring the sight and sent of the rabbit.

"Hungry!" She growled, flexing her nails to tear the rest of the meat from the bone and shoving it in her mouth before tossing the remains of the rabbit aside and rising to her feet, licking the blood off her fingers. "Hunting now."

"Um..." looking around he couldn't see any other animal. "What are you going to hunt?"

"Humans slow, stay here." She snapped shortly.

"Right..." he answered and stood where he was as she stalked off to find another rabbit. He couldn't help but notice that this splice was very different from what he was used to. It was in some sick twisted way... purer than the tainted version.

A few minutes later, the Nephilim queen returned with a dead rabbit in each bloody hand. Avoiding Terry, she walked back over to where she'd been sitting before and sat on her heels to tear into the second rabbit just as viciously as she had the first one. However, she slowed down during the third one- seeming to savor the taste, as she seemed to be calming down. Swallowing the last bite, she shuttered in place and sighed. "Mother Earth and Father Sky… whew…"

Terry, trying not to be sick at the sight of blood literally everywhere, said, "Mind explaining to me what that was all about?"

"It was the Rage." Arianna said levelly, looking down at herself before getting to her feet again.

"Right... and I'm supposed to understand this because...?"

"You remember how people who got spliced got more violent?" As she spoke, she started to walk past him.

"Yes." he said, following her. "Do want a ride home? I really don't think it'd be appropriate to fly with blood all over you."

"I'm going to get cleaned up first. There's a small pool nearby and I have a spare change of clothes."

"Alright. Will you be okay? I mean, I don't want you to get mad again and hurt someone."

"I was provoked today." The nephilim queen replied firmly, moving a small bolder near the pool aside and removing a trash bag from it. "The crazy guy was the final straw."

"Well, I have to go now. I told my mom I wasn't going to be late, babysitting tonight while mom goes out for a while. I know we're a little bit different in our... choice in professions but I want you to know that I fully appreciate what you did today. Thank you." he said, as if seeing her in a new light, or rather, changing his mind about her. Slowly. But it was re-forming.

Arianna had already stripped her clothing. "Thank you." Her back was to Terry, so he if he turned around he'd see that not all the blood was from the rabbits. "I'm glad you aren't dead."

"Keep in touch." was the last thing he said to her before he started walking to his car, fully trusting the bathing girl to not hurt anyone, for he had sensed she had control and took it out on rabbits instead of humans.

After she cleaned up, the brunette dressed in clean clothes, shoving the bloody ones in the bag before flying back to their current place. Meeting Chaos in the driveway, Arianna wordlessly took her crutches back and gave him the trash bag. "Put that in my room and I'll take care of it later."

Nodding, Chaos took the bag but before he went to the stairs, he bent down and kissed her cheek. "Good job today, my Queen."

"Sorry I left you behind..." She said as she unlocked the door for him.

Chaos stepped inside and as soon as he saw Bruce sitting at the table, and their eyes locked, the younger man shielded Arianna from his sight. "What are you doing here?" He didn't have to ask who he was, everyone within a hundred miles of Gotham City knew who Bruce Wayne was.

"It's all right." Max said as she got off the stool and stood to one side, scenting the blood. "He just wants to talk to her."

Relaxing a little but still not trusting the man, asked, "About?"

"That would be none of your business." said Bruce just as scathingly.

"Chaos." Arianna said, wanting to look over his shoulder but not wanting to appear a child.

Sighing, Chaos relented and stepped aside to let Arianna further into her home.

Talking three jerky steps into the room, she gave Bruce a very thorough once-over before making her way over to the stool that Max had vacated. "I would invite you to take a seat, but you have already done so."

Max handed her a glass of orange juice and frowned at her queen until she sipped at it.

"You have quite the bounty on your head Ms. Fairchild." he stated, without so much as a glance at Chaos or Max.

"I'm aware of that." Arianna answered, after swallowing.

"What do you plan to do about it?" he asked, genuine curiosity reflecting in his eyes.

"To plagiarize from you: 'That would be none of your business'." Arianna said calmly, finishing her glass and handing it to Max.

"On the contrary, it is my business. See, this is my home and as I understand it, you have nowhere else to go but here. I suggest rethinking that answer."

Arianna's eyes sharpened. "You wouldn't have gotten involved if Terry hadn't stuck his noise in." She countered.

"Terry's my errand boy for a reason." he replied, his tone just as sharp as his eyes. "However, that's not the only reason why I'm involved. Now, back to my question, what are you planning on doing about it?"

"If I have to, I'll leave the city with whomever wishes to come with me before human blood is spilled. I don't kill without cause."

Bruce hummed and considered her for a moment. "I want that in writing." he finally said. "You must have some code of honor, otherwise you wouldn't think like that. Give that to me in writing, with your signature, and I'll leave you alone... for the time being."

"Would you like to write out the terms of that?" She asked politely. "Just keep in mind that if either me or mine are threatened, I will kill to defend them."

"It will be written and I'll have Terry bring it over to be signed tomorrow." getting up from his seat, he wobbled to the door with his cane. "Have a good night, Ms. Fairchild and good job today at the mall." Bruce had a comm in his ear and when Terry had left the park, he contacted Bruce to let him know straight away.

Chaos took the glass Max held and filled it again with orange juice and set it before Arianna.

The queen remained seated until Max had seen him out and Bruce had left. "Chaos please follow him and make sure he's not around, SwiftSpy, can I use your medical kit?"

The two nodded and went in opposite directions: Chaos leaving the house, and Max running up the stairs to her room to grab the kit.

She brought it back downstairs in time to hear Chaos' jeep leaving the driveway. "What was that all about?"

Arianna had removed her now bloodstained shirt and presented her back to Max. "A guy went postal at the mall; I went into the Rage and stopped him though I came close to killing him.

Max sighed but said nothing for a long moment as she cleaned the cuts. "At least you stopped yourself. But I meant with Mr. Big Shot just now."

"He's worse than Terry." She hissed in pain as her wings twitched beneath the skin. "We might need to move soon."

"Well, he and Terry are pretty close you know. A lot closer than you think..." she said but shook her head to rid her thoughts.

"In any case, I don't like it. Ouch!" Arianna ground her teeth and downed the second glass while keeping her hair out of the way. "I don't want a human poking his nose into things."

"It is his house, so technically he's allowed until we have our own place. Sorry..." she said when her queen cringed again. "Really, what in the world did you do? Rip them out or something?"

"I don't know, it's a blur, I might have. He tried to shoot at me."

"That's Gotham for you."

Arianna put her head in her arms. "Bleeding bad?" She sighed. "It took three rabbits to snap out of it..."

"Bleeding, crusting, jagged edges. I don't recommend flying tonight. Your back needs tonight to heal."

"Thanks SwiftSpy. We'll have to put your lesson on hold. Is Chaos teaching you fighting?"

"He said he would but hasn't gotten around to it yet. I'll see if he's free tonight to teach me."

"My kit's under my pillow, but I don't know if there's much in there."

"Don't worry, I have more than enough." she said and applied a bit of soothing cream. "There, that should do it."

Arianna shifted slightly. "Thanks. Do you think it's safe to nap?"

"Yes. I'll take care of things here and Chaos is taking care of things out there for now."

"I'll bunk on the couch so you can keep an eye on me." She suggested, slowly getting to her feet and letting Max help her.

An hour later Chaos came back in with two hands full of suitcases. Each full with clothes and everything he would need. Upon Max's inquiring raised brow when she met him at the door, he grinned. "I'm moving in."

"What!" The word was a sharp hiss to avoid waking her queen. "Why?" She watched the sleeping nephilim on the couch to make sure she was still sleeping. "Was it that bad?"

Chaos nodded and his grin faded. "I thought she was going to eat him." he sighed as he put his bags by the stairs to the basement. "I think it would help her if the two of us were here with her. Now, I do believe I promised you combat lessons. The basement should be fine for it."

Max looked at the sleeping girl in horror. "She wouldn't have!" She shuddered. "SwanQueen can't fly for a few days... the damage was bad..."

"She didn't, but she sure as hell was convincing enough." he replied and went to see the damage at her back. He pulled back the blanket a bit, since she was lying on her stomach and his eyes widened. He walked back over to Max before he started talking. "It looks bad."

"Her skin around her wings has been torn; she forced her wings out too fast." Max stroked her queen's hair before leading Chaos to the basement.

As Chaos led Max down to the basement, his thoughts wondered to today's incident. He and Arianna were so close to being shot and if it weren't for her, everyone in that mall would have been dead. There was decidedly more to being a Nephilim than just having wings. They needed to have self-control over their Rage, which was, as Chaos has seen, not something to reckon with.


	10. The problems are mounting

Author's note: Thanks to inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter and I'm sorry that the wait was so long!

* * *

A day and a half later, making it Monday, Terry McGinnis drove straight from school to Arianna's house. Nelson Nash was spreading rumors about how Arianna was a monster and it didn't help that Dana was going along with it, making everyone believe them and have the hate on for his cousin. For crying aloud, she saved them all. How could they not see it?

Neither Chaos nor Arianna had been to school lately and for now, it was best if they didn't return. Terry came to the door and knocked three times.

Arianna looked out the window before answering, her face looked pinched as though she was in pain, but she stepped aside to let him in without a word. When she turned to see on her school, Terry could see the thick pads of bandage on her shoulder blades over her wing slits. "What is it?" Arianna sounded tired.

"I don't think it's wise to go back to school yet. Nelson and Dana are getting a rise out of the students. I know sometimes you like to appear once in a while but I don't recommend even Chaos going since he was with you."

She nodded. "What about the adults?" The queen swirled her orange juice in her glass. "I can handle the students if need be, the adults are another matter, and I would really hate to have to break into the school if I didn't have to."

At this, Terry looked taken aback. "Why would you have to break into the school?"

"The sewing machines and pattern paper, among other materials. I make clothing for some of the people I visit."

"I see..." he said and stayed silent for a moment. "The adults don't want to believe it. A lot of them are in denial but there are the few that claim to have had their 'suspicions' from the start."

Her eyes flashed in temper and she pointed to the side table next to him. "There's a notebook and pencil in the drawer. Make a list of allies and enemies." Her voice had sharpened, this was not his former cousin talking; the person addressing him now was the Nephilim Queen.

Terry took the pencil and not really knowing why he was helping her, since she was technically his enemy, he wrote down the names of definite enemies for her, potential allies and the students who were undecided or couldn't care less for gossip. "Here."

Arianna movement was jerky as she took the notebook. "I'll figure out what to do later." She sighed. 'Can you give batman a message for me?"

"Of course." he said and tried not to perk up at that. After all, he was Batman so it wasn't as if he had to try to remember the message and relate it back to him.

"Tell batman to please stay out of our way... Damnit! I hate being rushed..." The last part was muttered under her breath.

"Your way for?"

"We are in the midst of scouting for a new part of the city to make our permanent home." She shrugged her shoulders and flinched in pain. "It will take a lot of work, and I don't want him underfoot."

"And if he offered his assistance?" he asked, a flash of temper in his eyes that he knew he had to hide before she caught onto it.

The queen shook her head. "We have to do this ourselves and prove that we will make our own way, otherwise we won't be taken seriously by the humans who want us clipped."

"There's a difference between relying on someone, and asking someone for assistance. Even as little as being bait. Keep that in mind. You never know what the future will bring."

Arianna looked sad. "The sooner we learn to do things ourselves, the better off we will be. We have to remain as separate from them as possible, lest they get hurt."

"There's nothing wrong with putting trust in people. I know it's hard. Especially when you've been down that path so many times and end up hurt, but there will always be someone that you can rely on, there will always be someone that will go against the odds and prove you wrong. Making your own race...that's fine..." he finally grit out and came to terms with. "but cutting everyone off isn't."

Now the queen sat up. "Terry. I would have _killed_ you at the mall that day. I would have killed anyone who stopped me from going after my prey."

"Anger has a tendency to do that, Arianna." he used her human name. "You're not human anymore, I get that, okay? It's different, and I'm still learning since your Rage was a wake up call but everyone has the ability to kill someone else to get that they need or out of just pure anger. Could you have killed me? Yes. But you didn't."

"That's only the females, I don't know what the males will do."

"I'm sure it will be made known soon enough." he said, his thoughts going straight to Chaos. "Where is Max and Chaos?"

"In the basement doing combat training." Arianna flinched again and hobbled to the refrigerator to refill her glass.

"I see. It will be good for her." he said with an almost sad expression. He hated the way they parted and everyday he wished be could take it back but Max was headstrong and knew how to keep a grudge. "How is she?"

"She's doing very well. We are waiting for me to heal to resume her flight lessons." She poured the rest of the juice in her glass.

Terry nodded and sighed. "My boss wasn't very nice to her." he commented and grinned. "He can be a grouch sometimes but he's really not all that bad."

"He was very rude." She sniffed.

Amused, Terry chuckled. "Don't take it personally; he's like that with everyone. Especially the ones he find interesting. It's a test of sorts. Don't let it get to you." he winked and turned to the door. "Anyway, I'll get out of your hair. I was on my way to see Mr. Wayne and thought I'd drop by. No doubt he's having a stroke wondering why I'm not on time." he grinned and opened the door.

"Goodbye Terry." She threw back her head and drained her glass.

"See you around Arianna." was the last thing he said before he stepped out to his car and drove to Wayne Manor.

A few days later, Chaos moved swiftly into Max's room. He had a hard stick in his hand and as he approached her sleeping form, he raised it over his head and swung down. Max's eyes shot open last moment and her hand came up and parried it so it moved off to the side of her pillow.

"Good job. Time to get up and train." he said and left the stick with her as he left to let her wash up and change.

Looking over at the clock, it read five-thirty AM. She groaned and rubbed her face before swinging her legs over the bed to stand. When she was washed up and she had on a pair of sweat pants and a low-backed tank, she met Chaos in the basement. They had bought mats two days before to cover the entirety of the floor so when one of them were flipped, they wouldn't get hurt and have to stop.

In the corner lay the equipment the two had bought. Chaos wore a pair of black sparring gloves while he tossed white ones to Max.

"I thought we weren't sparring until you said I was ready."

"Exactly. You're ready. Put them on. We're just working with our hands for now. We'll get to adding kicks later on today."

Max nodded as she put them and took a fighting stance that Chaos taught her would work well. "Remember don't cross your feet when you move. And always keep moving."

Nodding, Max started moving. "Use your lead hand to punch at my face. I'm going to block it, then I'm going to do the same to you."

Getting her footing, Max led the direction they moved and after a moment, her hand shot out for his face but true to his word, he blocked the strike. After a few more turns they switched, giving Max the chance to have to react to being punched at. Once Max got the hang of one jab, Chaos told her they were switching again but he was having her add in a reverse punch.

She punched for his head, he blocked and she used her other hand to punch his exposed ribs. He nodded at her in approval and after a while, they switched.

"Good, now we're going to move into competitive. Do everything you can to avoid getting hit, if you do get hit, make some sort of contact with my strike before or as I retract. We're only using the two moves I showed you."

"Okay." she said and as soon as she did, he was on her, distracting her by using a punch to her face and quickly shifting to get her ribs.

"Point for me." he said and grinned when she glared at him and made her move but because she was new at it, she was a little too slow, a little too hesitant, causing her first strike to be dodged and her counter attack to be blocked. Immediately he struck back, getting her head but she managed to use one hand to block the punch to her ribs.

"Good. Keep your hands out more, don't have them so close to your body. It's easier to stop an attack that way." She put her hands out so they weren't so close to her body and true to his word, it was easier and faster to stop an incoming attack.

They kept this up for hours with Chaos adding combinations and taking ten minute breaks every forty-five minutes. It wasn't long after two in the afternoon when they were both drenched with sweat and slow from exhaustion. "I think, we're good for the day. Rest up for tonight, SwanQueen might be alright to take you out tonight." he said and when Max gave him a thumbs up and took off her gloves, he took off his and laid down on the mats to regain some strength.

The brunette was still dressed in her pajamas with her braid mussed from sleep, leaning against the wall for support. She was still healing and got dizzy every so often. Neither of them had heard her coming down the stairs. "Very well done." Arianna praised with a faint smile.

Max was just about to reach the stairs when Arianna made herself known. The sweaty, exhausted teen smiled at Arianna and uttered her thanks.

"She's learning fast." said Chaos, not yet having the energy to stand. "How are you feeling?" he asked and the question made Max pause on her third step up the stairs to the showers.

"A little light-headed. We are out of juice, and I think something's wrong with my back. When you have a minute, could one of you please take a look?" Arianna asked.

"Max, you go shower, I'll have a look." said Chaos and stood up. "Would sitting down make you feel better?"

"Can you help me to the chair?" She asked. "I don't want to fall."

Chaos nodded and guided her to a chair not five feet away and situated her so she was on the side of the chair, her shoulder resting against the backrest while he lifted her shirt to check the damage done to her back. He whistled. "Still looks raw. Some spots are still bleeding." he commented.

"I need to let my wings out, but I'm afraid if I do that..." She shuddered in unspoken horror.

"That's not a good idea. Give it one more day." he said. "You should be healed enough by tomorrow." he pulled her shirt back down. "I'll ask Max to get more juice while I'm in the shower." he said as he heard the water stop.

"Can she do that? I know she doesn't like going out now even though she can hide her wings..." Arianna sighed. "I'm tired, but I know I'm sleeping too much..."

"She won't mind. Trust me." he said and picked her up bridal style. "If you're tired it means you need the sleep. Don't fight it. The more you sleep the faster you'll heal."

"I think I'm loosing too much blood..." She said against his shoulder. "My med kit is gone too."

"It's almost healed. Just one more day." he repeated though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. "You'll be back to normal in no time. Then we'll work on controlling your Rage."

"The Rage is hunger. A good fish is worth three or four rabbits. At least in my case." She murmured sleepily.

"Now look at what it's done to you." he muttered as he set her back on the couch where she made herself comfortable since she first laid on it.

Max came down, freshly showered and dressed.

"Can you get the juice while I shower?" he asked, still sweating from his body heat.

"Sure." she said and extended her hand for his keys. When he raised an eyebrow at her, she huffed. "You're parked behind me."

Sighing he reached into his pocket and retrieved his keys for her. "Don't break it."

When she grinned at him, he almost regretted giving her his keys but he was powerless to stop because she already had her shoes on and grabbed the credits off the counter for the juice.

When she closed the door behind herself, he turned back to Arianna. "Will you be alright for about fifteen minutes?"

Arianna raised her head off the pillow. "Did she withdraw her wings?"

"Yes. She had them withdrawn when she got down."

"Okay... wake me when you get out or she gets back." On her stomach, Arianna stretched out on the couch and closed her eyes; her head pillowed on her arms as she listened to Chaos leave the room.

Once showered with fresh clothes, Chaos came back down to see Max just getting in the door with a jug of orange juice. "No scratches." she said cheerfully.

"Good. I think she'd still sleeping." he commented and took the juice from her to put it in the fridge to keep cool.

The brunette hadn't budged from her place, not even a twitch, which was not normal for their queen.

Max frowned. "Maybe we should get a doctor."

"Are you nuts? One look at her and they'll have the police on our asses. Besides, she just needs one more day."

"How can you be so certain?"

"I'm not. Just trust me, okay? We'll see improvement tomorrow."

Max sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'm going to go do more research."

"You mean more hacking?" Chaos grinned. Max grinned back as she headed up the stairs but said nothing in return, leaving Chaos to do what he wished in peace.

Not long after that, Terry and Bruce stopped by. When nobody answered the knock, Bruce used his key to open the door. The elderly man took one look at the pale unmoving nephilim queen and nudged Terry as his eyes narrowed. "Get the medical kit we brought with us, now!" He ordered as he removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt fast. "Then wake up the young man sleeping on the table."

Terry did as instructed and returned with the medic kit was soon as possible. When he got in, Bruce was over by Arianna. Terry gave him the kit, went into the kitchen, and elbowed Chaos in the shoulder. "Hey, wake up." he demanded.

Chaos' eyes flew open and it was obvious he was still sleep deprived. Alarmed, he shoved past Terry to see if Arianna was all right and when he only saw Bruce over her, he relaxed. "What are you doing here?" he said with narrowed eyes.

"Your queen is about to die, she's lost too much blood." Quickly donning gloves, the elderly man commenced taking the scissors from the kit and he swiftly cut off her shirt, revealing the damage done to her. "Boil some water; get Max down here to hold her head."

"Max!" Chaos called, ready to do as the old man said since he didn't know what to do. "Get down here!" seconds later she came flying down the steps.

"What?-" when she saw Bruce over Arianna's bleeding back and Terry and Chaos getting a bowl of water and towels, she immediately knew something was wrong. "What can I do?"

"Hold her head." said Terry and brought the towels to Bruce.

Arianna yelped in agony and tried to get away. Her wings were moving under her skin, but not emerging; while her nails started shredding the couch.

"Terry, do you know her blood type? Is it the same as yours?" Bruce asked as he washed the torn tissue, indifferent to her pain.

"Yes." he said, already tying a rubber glove around his arm.

"Shh, shh, SwanQueen." cooed Max, pulling the queen's braid aside as she reassuringly took the other girl's head in her hands. "Hold still. You're dying, they're here to help."

"... Can't let... them... take my... blood..." Arianna panted. "Transfusion... might not..."

"Your blood won't be used for experimentations. Right now, your life is on the line and we need to secure it. I promise, Arianna." Terry said soothingly.

"Let your wings out slowly, I need to know how long the slits are. Young man, you'll need to wash your hands, you'll be needed to hold each wing out of the way. We can't risk moving her or she'll panic."

Chaos quickly did as instructed and washed his hands. He stood next to Arianna and as her wings came out, he held onto them while Max held her Queen's head gently and whispered encouragements and soothing words to her to help ease her pain.

Arianna ground her teeth and her wings felt tense under Chaos' hands. She kept trying to turn her head enough to keep an eye on what Bruce was doing.

"You've really torn yourself up this time. I'll need to do some stitching..." Bruce said.

At the word 'stitching' the queen snarled weakly as fear began to grow in her mismatched eyes.

Max and Chaos held her more firmly. "No SwanQueen, it's okay." she whispered.

"Max is right, Arianna," Terry put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It will be fine. I promise." he urged her to calm by rubbing his thumb soothingly over her shoulder

"Hate needles." She managed, resting her head in her sister's embrace again. "Small veins, many pokes."

Bruce finished cleaning her back and took up a needle and thread. "As soon as I'm done, I'll connect you to her Terry. She tore a lot of muscle and will be out of action for a while..."

"And here I just thought she needed one more day to recover." muttered Chaos.

"Which is exactly why you're not a doctor." snapped Terry.

"Neither is he-"

"Obviously he knows more than you."

"Enough! Arianna doesn't need you two arguing right now!" hissed Max, forgetting to use her Nephilim name in her distress.

Even in her pain, Arianna managed to tap Max's arm lightly with a talon-like nail in reproof before passing out in pain.

"She's okay." Bruce snapped before anyone could panic. "It's better this way. Your queen is a stubborn one even if she's not related to you Terry. Max, I'll need more clean water."

Max nodded and put her head down gently before grabbing the wash bin and dumping the bloody water in exchange for new clean water. She set it aside for him, and then asked if he needed anything else done.

"See if you can warm up a blanket for later and then see if you can't get her to drink something, it looks like she's dehydrated. You really need a doctor for your people..."

"We're working on it." she muttered and sighed as she went to go warm up a blanket by putting it in the dryer. She got a huge glass of water, filled it to the top with ice-cold water, brought it into the room, and set it on the side table. When the dryer stopped, she retrieved it and brought it up.

By that time, Bruce had already dealt with the worst of it and was working on her other side. "She might not be able to hide her wings anymore. The flap of skin that pockets them when they are folded under them can be sewn, but she tears the skin a little more each time..." He said, as though to himself as he worked.

"So... she can't ever go out again without being seen as a Nephilim?" asked Max.

Terry nodded. "That's right. If you look at this angle, you can see what Mr. Wayne is talking about. If say, she were to take her wings out another ten times, the slits would be big holes and they wouldn't be small enough to close over. Not saying that it will be like that for you too but her Rage really messed her up." he said and motioned for Max to take a look.

She moved in front of Terry with him practically pressed up against her back, his hands on her shoulders. She saw what Terry and Bruce were talking about and sighed with a mental curse until she shifted and realized how close she was to Terry. She looked at him and it was a mistake because he looked at her at the same time and their lips were inches from touching. Max gasped, her eyes widening and she flushed. She took a hurried, clumsy step to the side to put distance between them but couldn't deny the blush or the pounding of her heart and she was glad Chaos wasn't a Nephilim yet, otherwise he'd be able to hear her heart thump in her chest.

Bruce ignored all of this as he finished his sewing work and bandaged them. "Terry do you want to lay on the table now?" He asked. "I've done the best I could, now all we can do is hope the transfusion works..."

Terry laid down on the table and took a deep breath. "Okay, just be fast." he muttered and closed his eyes.

Quickly, Bruce swabbed and inserted the first needle and tube connected to the blood bag into Terry's arm, then connected the second one in Arianna's. "For the sake of you two, I hope this works; otherwise her race will end with her..." The elderly man almost sounded sad.

Terry took a deep breath and exhaled; his eyes still closed and muttered "Yeah..."

"Why are you helping us?" asked Max, a frown on her face. Chaos was kneeling beside Arianna, stroking her hair and frowning at the opposite wall, seeming to be lost in thought.

"I think she is doing something good. Most of the people who were spliced didn't. She could have taken the easy path, but she's not. It hasn't escaped my notice how many people rely on her and care about her. You could say I admire her for that and I want to see what else she intends to do." Bruce shrugged as he took off his gloves and started to clean up the bloody mess. "You can cover her up just make sure she doesn't move."

Max covered her and told Chaos not to let her move. "We'll take shifts." she stated. "Are you going to stay long?" she asked, having a new respect for the man.

"I'm going to monitor her until I'm sure the transfusion is working. Just so you know, she is right, there is a chance that it won't."

"It will." she said, determined. "It has to." without Arianna, she had nowhere to go and she had no plans. She wouldn't be able to exist.

"Do you have any regrets Max?" Bruce asked. "Is she really that strong?"

"My only regret is not urging her to find a doctor for us." she sighed. "She's strong. She's small, but she wouldn't have made it this far if she wasn't strong willed."

"You really care about her don't you?" He said as he washed his hands.

"Yeah, it's like you not caring for Terry and Terry not caring for you. You just grow on one another." she shrugged. "Do you want anything? Drink, food?"

"I'm fine." He said. "Are you still going to school?"

Max shook her head. "No, not since I got my wings. I'm doing online courses right now. It's safer to do it online since I barely ever retract my wings, except in cases like this." she says. "Besides, Terry said it's not safe now."

After a half an hour of tense waiting, Bruce disconnected Terry from the queen and gave him some juice. "That's enough Terry, drink this. It's up to her now."

Terry sat up and gratefully took the juice. He finished it in two swigs and looked over at Arianna. "How is she?" he asked.

"It's too soon to tell." His mentor admitted.

He sighed and got off the table. He walked into the kitchen and refilled his glass with water this time instead of juice.

"Max went upstairs." Bruce said, checking her pulse. "It seems stronger."

The teen who was his student gave him a raised eyebrow. "I didn't say I wanted to talk to her."

Bruce just looked at him, ignoring Chaos' glares.

Terry glared at him but grumbled under his breath about old men being able to read sign language and telepathic thoughts as he made his way up the stairs after setting his glass down on the table.

He didn't have to go very far because Max's door was open so he was able to see her inside the room. He knocked twice, getting her attention.

Max turned around and smiled slightly. She had been starring at her screen, lost in thought when she heard the knocks. She half expected to see him and she couldn't deny the thump in her chest from seeing him each and every time... but she also couldn't allow it to go on. They were just too different and Arianna`s number one rule was to never mix the two species. `Hey Ter. Come in."

Terry looked around. "She's really hooked you up hasn't she?" He asked.

"Yeah, it comes in handy." she grinned and looked away for a second. "What's up?"

His eyes narrowed. "You still have feelings for me don't you? I saw it in your eyes."

Max's own narrowed. "Even if I did, what would be the point in bringing it up? It wouldn't go anywhere."

"Why not?" Terry demanded. "Would she actually forbid it? Or are you just scared and using her as an excuse?"

"That's none of your business Terry." she said, her temper rising. "All you need to know is this- something- between us has to stop. Do you honestly think you could be happy with me? Look at me and look at you. I have wings. I'm not _human_ anymore."

"So were the others who got spliced, they weren't exactly human either." Terry pointed out. "Think about your own safety! What will happen if she dies?" The teen started to pace. "Do you even know where _Arianna_ hid the other vials? Could you take her place?"

"I'll think about it when the time comes! Just back off about this okay?" she gave him a pleading look. "For everyone's sake, we can't be together if you're human."

"Why? What would the punishment be!" Terry said, slamming his hand down in her desk in fury. "We both know that even if I asked her she wouldn't give me wings! Would she really be that _selfish_ to deny our happiness just because...?"

"Are _you_ so selfish as you to not understand why we can't be together?! You have a duty as Batman and becoming a Nephilim will change that. You don't understand any of this. You think this is disgusting. You won't change for me, why should I for you?" She poked him in the chest hard. "It takes courage and loyalty to her to be one of us. You've proved twice you wouldn't be able to handle it. You don't take orders from anyone but Bruce- and that's because he's your mentor. Just stop with the bullshit Terry. We can't and deep down, you know it."

Terry narrowed his eyes at Max. "What do you mean 'loyalty to her'?" He said, ignoring Max's poke. "What has she given up for you?"

"Everything. If I were so inclined- I could twist everything she has planned because she needs me for my skills. I could have everything turned for the worst but I won't. We're family now Terry. I want to be left alone now."

"I won't give up." He promised in a low voice. "Neither of you will get rid of me that easily."

Max glared at him. "Out." when she was able to slam her door shut, she leaned against the wood frame and slid down until she was seated. If it came to it, she would protect her Queen- either from the human, or from their feelings.

Downstairs, the queen was starting to come around a bit, her color was looking better but Chaos was keeping her calm and helping her drink the water Max had left there.

"Hey, how do you feel?" Chaos asked softly.

"Hurts." She managed. "SwiftSpy?"

"Upstairs. She was speaking with Terry." he said once he noticed Terry was back down with a scowl on his face.

Arianna snarled weakly. "Check on her."

Bruce raised his eyebrow. "We should go Terry; we'll have to come back later."

"We need that signature." he insisted, his mood less than sympathetic as he watched Chaos go up the stairs to check on Max.

The queen took a deep breath, feeling for a tiny crumb of strength. Turning her head slightly, she swallowed carefully while waiting for the others.

Chaos rushed up the stairs and knocked on Max's door "SwiftSpy? She's awake and asking for you. Are you all right?"

Max sighed and got up from the floor. "I'm coming." she said and opened the door, barely looking at him as she ignored his question on whether or not she was ok.

The queen was listening for them. "I think I'll live..." Her voice was quiet and she laid still on the couch. "Give the contract to Max, she will read it to me."

Obedient to her queen's wishes took the contract and, without even glancing Terry's way, read the terms. "_'I, Arianna Fairchild, also known as the leader of the Nephilim race, agree to never murder any innocent people, or break any laws of Gotham City. By signing this wavier, I also acknowledge and accept that this applies to the entirety of my race.'_" Max and Chaos looked to one another with raised eyebrows. "I guess this is acceptable. But what if something happens where it's inevitable?" asked Max.

The Queen sniffed quietly. "You do realize that your agreement will become void if I die, correct? This agreement will not be binding to the Queen after me."

"Well then, I guess you and your people better make sure you don't die. A new one will be made up in the future to fit the circumstances." Bruce replied without any trace of humor on his face.

"We will not break the laws of the city needlessly, but in return, the humans must stay out of our laws as well." Arianna said, trying to put firmness in her voice.

"We'll work on that once you actually get accepted in Gotham. This is just a start and as far as I'm concerned, a good pact has to start somewhere."

"No!" Her voice was a weak whip. "It is not negotiable. Humans will not poke in our affairs. We will aid this city and protect the humans under us, but among ourselves the humans will not apply."

Not wanting his queen to injure herself in her weakened state, Chaos put a hand on her shoulder. "We're too weak to deal with all the humans right now. If we sign this now, it will give the humans something to trust because right now they have nothing to go by. When there's more of us we'll find a way to deal with the people who don't want us."

The queen sighed. "True. Will you help me sign it Chaos? When I am well, you will be reborn as well,"

Chaos smiled at her, incredibly happy that she made up her mind, and took her hand in his. "Of course," he put a pen in her hand and held her hand steady as she signed her name.

"How fitting, a human name for a human affair." She murmured as she signed her human name. "Show them out, same as before."

Her future mate nodded and did as he was ordered. "Have a good day gentlemen." he said politely and handed them back their wavier, all signed to be recorded as evidence of their co-operation.

Behind him. Arianna weakly managed to sit up, ignoring her half naked state. "SwiftSpy help me to the bathroom please? I can't stand using that nasty pan again..."

"You shouldn't move." Snapped Bruce.

"We'll take care of her from here. Have a nice day." said Max and shut the door, her eyes locking with Terry for a moment before the door slammed shut. Chaos gave her an inquisitive look but said nothing as he locked the door and they walked back over. Max lifted Arianna from the couch easily since she was so light and carried her to the bathroom.

"This is the _last_ time I will make concessions with them..." Her Queen vowed.

"There will be more." muttered Max. "Trust me."

"They will pay dearly for them, I promise you that…" She kept her eyes closed as she did her business. "Still, I won't know how much we'll have to jump forward for until I see the situation at the school for myself, though that will need to wait a bit…"

A week later, about an hour after all the students had left; Dana was just getting out of her class for extra help in the science class. She tried calling Terry to hang out with him but every time he picked up his phone, he would always say he was busy with Mr. Wayne. She was angry that after all this time he was choosing now to break things off with her. She passed by the sewing class and stopped when she noticed the machine's noises were on. Opening the door, she stopped Arianna and gasped. She came in and quickly closed the door. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Arianna didn't look up from her work and kept her wings close to her body. "I'm working on some clothes that I've made." She paused and adjusted the small pink baby shirt before starting it up again.

"You're... making clothes?! Are you insane?! The whole school knows about you, you know. You don't want to know what would happen to you if you got caught."

"Things need to be done, I'm not letting the people down who depend on me." The queen replied. "I'm used to being hated, I was hated as a human, but at least now people don't pretend to be nice anymore." She shrugged. "Not that it matters either way, but at least in this form I'm free to be useful."

"Don't you have a sewing machine of your own?" she huffed. "Look, I'm not one for violence so can you please just leave before someone sees you."

"I don't. When my creator and mother died, they took everything I couldn't save when I fled." She didn't look up. "Have you ever watched your home being ransacked and destroyed Dana? It's not a fate I would wish on anyone, but it does make you stronger." Arianna turned then to fix on Dana with her blue eye. "If you didn't want violence, then you should have kept your mouth shut in gratitude for your life."

"What are you talking about?" Dana snarled with a roll of her eyes. "Just get out of here. You and your freaky friends."

She laughed softly, shaking her head in some private amusement. "Once again I am reminded how funny hypocritical humans are. I saved your life at the mall, and you and Nelson saw fit to call me a monster and stir a pot that was already stirring to begin with." She finished the shirt and held it up, her lips curving with satisfaction. "Don't worry Dana; I wouldn't give you wings even if it meant you had to die."

"I wouldn't want your wings anyways. It's terrible. You took Max away; don't even think you're going to take away anyone else. No one wants you or your filth! You have five seconds before I scream."

Arianna said nothing at she packed up and left, keeping her wings folding tightly around her as she left the room regally, heading towards the stairs. Freeing one hand, she put a hand to her ear. "SwiftSpy, I am finished here and coming up. You heard everything?" She asked calmly.

Not yet... wait... Batman's around the corner. He's chasing thugs dressed up as Joker. Are you sure you wanna take flight now?" she asked, keeping her binoculars focused on Batman's figure.

"You take the basket, I'll handle the joker." Ignoring the human shadow following her, she opened the door, walked over to Max and gave her the basket, giving Max the recorder she kept in her shirt. "You had odd taste in friends." The queen commented as she leapt off, already whirling the slingshot in her hand.

Max raised an eyebrow in question until she spotted Dana. Neither of them spoke. Dana gave her a look that asked her what in the hell she was doing with Arianna while Max stared at her blankly then turned her back on the girl. "Get out of here Dana, before you get hurt." Dana said nothing, just turned and left as she was told to do. Satisfied that the human she once considered a friend was gone, she turned on the radio and listened in.

It wasn't a radio, the recording was the whole conversation between Arianna and Dana, revealing _just_ how shallow Dana really was.

With a savage snarl, Arianna let loose the shot. When the joker dropped like a stone, she slowed and landed next to him to retrieve her rock. "My aim is getting better. This one's only stunned."

"Batman's around the corner. Get out of there before he sees you."

"Coming." Arianna climbed on top of the nearest tall object and jumped. She took it easy and she rejoined her fledgling. "Humans should be called walking sheep... they really should," She greeted Max.

"Indeed they are. You don't know them until you're on the other side." said Max and gathered her equipment and put them in her small bag. "I'm grateful you gave me this chance."

"Are you upset? I know you used to be friends sister." Arianna looked concerned and held out her arms. "Would you like a hug?"

Max took the embrace, grateful to have it. "It doesn't hurt like I thought it would. I'm just glad to know I've chosen the better race."

"I would go back down there just to piss off the sheep, but I can come back another time." She enfolded Max with her wings for comfort before letting go. "Let's go report back to KnightHawk."

Her fledgling nodded and at the same time; they jumped off the roof and flapped in perfect sync. "KnightHawk, this is SwiftSpy, we're on our way home."

"Fly safe." came the response to both girls.

Flying high to avoid sight from humans, they reached home in a few minutes. Arianna looked serious even as she greeted her mate with a hug. "It's worse than I thought."

Chaos returned the hug with a raise brow. "Is it? I know Terry probably wasn't exaggerating, but are they really out for our blood?"

"More than you know. Swiftspy, would you like to share the tape I gave you?" Her queen asked politely.

Max pulled out the tape and turned it on so Chaos could hear and interaction between Dana and Arianna. When it finished, Chaos frowned. "I'm surprised you kept your cool, love. I would have flipped."

"She's just a sheep beloved, not under our protection. Let her be batman's problem, not ours." Arianna sighed and sat down. "Still, stupidity is catching, so let's make emergency kits in case we have to let the city rot."

`Good idea. We can't be too careful." replied Max and set off for her room. "I'm going to make another set of back up files."

After Max left, the Queen let her head fall into her hands in despair. "KnightHawk beloved..."

KnightHawk took her into a firm embrace and kissed her forehead. "Don't stress over such trivial matters. Leave that to me. You have bigger, more important things to deal with."

"We'll need to start tonight on tracking the viper's nest... Can you handle the first round? SwiftSpy finished the books. I need to alert the others under our protection that we all might have to run for it."

"I can take the first round. We'll need some sort of explosion or trap to take on the second round."

"Right now we'll need just to watch and figure out who is in there. We'll figure out the next step later." She sighed and hugged him tight. "Soon darling soon..."


	11. Hope Dawning

Author's note: Thanks to inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter and I'm sorry that the wait was so long! I've been having problems getting things to upload. Please enjoy the chapter and remember to review!

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Only a few days later, they started taking real steps. Landing in front of the commissioner's home, she bent to release the embroidered bands that held her divided white skirt in place during the flight as she waited for the others to land. The queen tried without success to calm her racing heart; still, she managed at least to look calm as she patiently groomed them to make sure they looked their best.

Chaos took her hand in his and Max smiled reassuringly at her.

"We're right here, SwanQueen. Little can go wrong." she did the honors of knocking on the door, giving her Queen no time to have second thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, the Nephilim Queen schooled her expression to calm as she strapped mental steel to her backbone. When the door opened, she stepped forward slightly. "Good evening Commissioner Barbra Gordon."

Barbra Gordon's eyes widened and automatically she took a step back, her hand going towards the small of her back to retrieve her firearm. For now she just kept her hand on it in case she needed. "Yes?" she asked, eyeing all three of them until her eyes settled back on the shorter one in the middle, the one the Feds wanted captured.

She held up her hand, although her lips quirked in amusement. "Peace, I mean you no harm. I realize the hour is late, but may I have an hour or two of your time?" The queen was very polite. "Visiting you in daylight hours was... unwise... to say the least." To prove her point, she tucked her wings closer to her body as a peace offering.

Barbra would have said no- should have said no- but her husband wasn't home from the office yet so she wouldn't need to fear for his safety. She stepped back and opened the door wider. "What is it you want?" she asked when all three were inside and she was able to close the door.

Pity and compassion seemed to war with each other in her mismatched eyes. "Just to talk and to explain a few things before we are forced to leave the city to rot."

Not forgetting the manners her father raised her with; she motioned to the couch. "Please, have a seat."

Arianna politely took the seat offered to her with equal manners while the other two stood behind their Queen protectively. "Why do you hate me so much?" She asked finally.

"It's not a matter of hate, Ms. Fairchild. It's a matter of following orders." Barbra replied, taking a seat in the chair opposite her.

"Demolishing my home? Denying me the right to see to my mother- and creator's remains- let alone to even say goodbye? Letting whomever took her life go free without even _trying_ to find out who did it while organizing a hate fueled city-wide manhunt for her grieving daughter like an animal for sport?" The brunette's voice was tight with outrage.

The commissioner empathized, something she shouldn't have done but did anyway, just like how she let them in her home when she shouldn't have. Calmly, the aging woman said, "As cold blooded as it sounds, orders are orders. I can understand how painful it was to not be able to say goodbye and be hunted like an animal but you've come to the wrong house."

"I didn't come here for sympathy. I came here to tell you what the terms would be between my people and yours." She replied calmly as she took the map that her mate handed her. The Queen knew without looking that they looked as emotionless as she felt. Without a word, she spread the map on the table. "This is my current territory," She pointed to an area in the poor part of the town. "Every person in this area is under my _personal_ protection." Now she pointed to the abandoned part of the city that had become the viper's nest. "This is the area we want for ourselves and are in the beginning stages of cleaning out. The criminals who live here will be turned over to the police along with the evidence legally needed to put them away if you don't bungle it. You'll notice that includes the wild land along the limits of the city. We will not drain any of Gotham's resources and will support ourselves- that goes for the humans who follow us as well as the Nephilim."

Barbra stared at the map. She had mixed feelings. She was miffed that this girl was t_elling_, not discussing the terms, and yet, she couldn't find it in herself to argue. Instead, she weighed the pros and cons. Pros: the bad guys would _finally_ be in their custody and off the streets, the city would be a happier, safer place to live. Cons, the citizens would go ballistic upon hearing that Nephilims would be living with them, making it potentially possible for there to be riots and chaos in the streets. "Let me first start by saying, you can convince me to not _want_ to keep going with the search for you, because I'm already considering it would be in everyone's best interest if we had you here... but again, I don't run the city. The top man tells me what to do. As soon as you convince him to have me stop the search, I'll gladly stop and personally see to it that there's an investigation team to solve your mother's death and catch the murder. But until then, I can't help you."

"If that price is not lifted on my head, and the hunt against my people stopped, we are prepared to leave the city tonight and never return again. Batman is just one man, and this city is already rotting. You need an army, and you need it now. I have already faced death once to protect the ungrateful humans of this city, and I will not do so a second time. Nor will my people." She nodded to Max, who wordlessly threw the tape recorder with Dana's statement on the map-covered table. "Going to the mayor would be suicide; you have had experience with the lesser form of splicing in the past. You, at least, are willing to talk and not shoot on sight."

"So you're saying you need me to talk to the mayor for you. Be your voice for your people at least for now?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. She didn't mind doing it... it was just the whole convincing part that she saw would be a problem

"For now yes. However, if you fail, we will leave. It is leave or die pointless slow deaths." She straightened slightly. "I made a promise to both of them when they were reborn. I swore by everything I am that I would grant them a quick death before I allowed them to fall into enemy hands before I joined them."

Barbra narrowed her eyes not in contempt, but in thought and she rubbed her hands together, contemplating her options. She could help these people that want to help them- in a way, or she could be a total bitch and go by the book. If she asked herself what Bruce would do, she knew he'd tell her to go with her gut instinct and right now, her gut instinct was telling her to help these people get on their feet. "All right. I'll help you." she said before she had time to have second thoughts. She was a woman of her word and once she said she'd do something, she would be damned before she gave a half assed effort.

The Queen nodded, the tension going out of her a little. "Thank you."

"I'm sure there are not many humans who you get to thank so I'll do my best." she stood. "Which means I have to leave now before he leaves his office. Is there anything I need to know or am I just counting on my persuasive skills?"

"Tell him that the kind of splicing that you were introduced to was a fake and that Doctor Able Cuvier was a fraud that stole the formula from my mother. It was never intended to be given to the masses." She said quietly. "Splicing, the kind you know of anyway- only lasted two months, one week and three days before it was banned. I've been a Nephilim for almost six months. I was the true original and what splicing was meant to be. You could go so far as to say _we_ are the purebloods." She thought for a minute and seemed to be counting something on her fingers. "Actually, make that eight months." The Queen corrected herself. "I was only six months fledged when mother was killed, hence my stupidity in calling the police.

"I'm going to need proof. Anything at all, even if it's just a picture of the samples. I can't expect you to give me a formula, lest it fall into the wrong hands. My words alone will be persuasive, but not that persuasive. I'll also need your map to tell them your plans for your territory. Having visuals helps a lot with this mayor."

Frowning thoughtfully, she motioned to Max and whispered something in the other girl's ear. Whatever she said, the other Nephilim all but ran out the door.

"What?" she asked, narrowing her eyes this time in suspicion.

"I came prepared just in case." She answered, patting Chaos' hand as Max returned holding a carrying case in her hand. Getting up from her seat, the queen allowed her sister to perch there while she rejoined her mate in the watchful position, guarding her back in the same way that the Nephilim Queen had been guarded all night.

Barbra took a couple steps closer and peered around the chair so she could see what Arianna was going to show her.

"Give her a copy of pages five though eleven from the journal please." SwanQueen said softly. "That should be enough. If he wants more, he'll need to speak to 'the monster' directly." The last part was said grimly and her lips pursed in fury. "I've half a mind to make him grovel…"

Max already had every page printed incase something like this were to come up. She took out pages five to eleven and handed them to Barbra, who took them and immediately looked them over. She schooled her facial expression so they couldn't read the mixer of emotions she felt. Some wary, most positive. "Anything else I need to know?"

Chaos took a small step forward and spoke up for the first time with a look of warning in his gaze. "Warn your mayor that he better polish his manners if he wants to see my Queen; because if he calls my mate a monster again, Gotham will need a new mayor, and we'll make sure that one is elected that has more sense than a brick of cottage cheese."

Barbra merely raised an eyebrow. "I'll make sure he gets the memo." she said and went to the door. "If that's all, then I ask you to leave. I have to get a move on, on this and I'm sorry but I don't trust strangers in my house. Call it a human thing but I won't allow it while I'm not at home."

"Neither do we." She set a bag on the empty table before allowing her mate to escort her to the door. "There are two candles in that bag, a white one and a black one. The meaning should be self-explanatory, light one or the other and place it in the holder you will find on your pouch. I'll be a flyby tomorrow night to see your answer."

Barbra nodded her understanding and waited for them to leave her home and take off before closing the door behind her and locking it. She got in her car and dialed the Mayor's office number, praying that he'd still be there.

"Hello, Mr. Mayor speaking." he answered. He always sent his secretary home at five, it was now eight.

"Hello Mr. Mayor, this is Commissioner Barbra Gordon. A situation has risen and must be discussed tonight."

By the seriousness of her tone, the mayor's interest was piqued. "This isn't a phone conversation is it?"

"No, sir, it's not." she eyed the maps and journal pages on her passenger seat.

"Very well then. I'll have my security escort you inside when you arrive."

"Thank you sir."

"That remains to be seen."

"Yes sir." they hung up and Barbra drove a few notches faster.

The next night Barbra had a white candle lit. Her face was expressionless but behind her eyes were flashes of triumph. Under an hour and she had the mayor fully convinced. With every question, she had an answer. With every doubt, she had a reassurance and with every scenario, she had a plan of action.

She scouted the sky's looking for the telltale signs of a human sized bird in the sky.

True to her word, the queen returned, this time alone. Before she schooled her expression, there was _something_ written on her face. Swallowing hard, she walked slowly towards the candle, slightly limping. Still in disbelief, the brunette actually reached up towards the candle as though making sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. So lost in her own thoughts, it was as though the commissioner wasn't there at all.

"Don't worry, it won't change to black." said the Commissioner, a small smirk playing at her lips. Her hands were in her pockets and she indicated with a small jerk of her body to the chairs sitting on the porch. "You want to have a seat or do you have to go?"

Her face was pale as she made her way to the chair offered to her, though she sat a little too quickly for it to be a natural landing. "I had hoped but didn't believe..." She whispered.

"There's hope for us yet." she said. "It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it would have been. Some would say a little _too_ easy." she muttered the last part and sat down beside her.

You could almost see her snap out of it and refocus. "Do you think there is something that prompted the acceptance?"

"I don't think so. I gave some very good arguments and it took him ten minutes to come to a decision but he knows as well as I do that Gotham needs help, any help. Within five to seven years, this place could fall apart and be run by criminals at every corner. If something isn't done now, while it's already bad enough, we might as well take a torch to the streets ourselves. I gave him that argument, only in more words, a couple examples and it started to get him considering."

"What did he say about the tape?" The queen asked curiously. "Was he surprised at the reaction?"

"He certainly wasn't impressed with it. I pointed out that our city is loosing faith and trust in everyone around them and the only way to restore the peace in- at least the citizens- is to have an impact take effect soon."

"Still, I think that it still has to be taken into account. It wouldn't do any good to save the city only to tear it apart in the process..." She tapped her long nails on the arm of her chair.

"What do you mean tear it apart? I know our mayor isn't the brightest cookie in the jar, but that doesn't mean he's ignorant of the things going on in Gotham, especially the Narrows. The man's been trying to work with me for two years now to try and find a way to take them down. I've got over twenty of my men risking their necks everyday to get on the inside and try to take them down that way. Nothing we try works. I know it and he knows it."

"'Narrows'?" The queen questioned, her mismatched eyes narrowed in thought. "Continue."

"It's been called the Narrows ever since I can remember by Batman and the GPD. It's the bad part of the city... the _really_ bad part, where the heart of crime lies and the masterminds behind it reside. Cops in uniform usually get shot when they go in there, that's why we have undercover. Some of the guys have been working in there long before I made Commissioner. Word has it that the longest guy, Jim Black, he was there for ten, made it to right hand man, but he made a slip and was shot not two weeks ago. He was the closest to getting us what he needed to bring them all down but he blew it. We can't wait another five, ten years for someone else on our side to make it to the top. We don't have that kind of time. I also used that against the Mayor's doubts." she said and looked off into the distance. "Some days, my job really sucks." she said with an amused chuckle but it didn't reach her eyes. "The last time we had a real break through on the bad guys was when the first Batman was around and my dad was Commissioner."

"I should tell you, Batman and I aren't exactly on good terms, so he'll still be doing what he does." She shrugged. "The splicing thing really gets him I guess."

"Not the Batman you know now, the one before him. The new one's mentor, I guess you could say. Batman won't have a choice but to work with you, work with us. He's only one man. Sooner or later he'll have to turn to one of us for help. Or he'll die trying to do everything alone."

The queen nodded. "That was what I had in mind, though not quite what my mother was thinking when she created me."

"Exactly and the sooner he realizes this, the sooner we can work together to get rid of the Narrows and live in peace for once."

"Did he want to meet me or do I more or less have free rein? Do you have any particular questions for me?"

"He told me to keep an eye on you. More or less acting as his informant about the decisions you make and the like. I figure you won't mind since you need to know which guys are mine and which aren't. Besides, we need each other. You have no place to go and we need this place cleaned up. Win/win. I just want to know why you want to live here so bad. What is it about this rotting city that makes you want to stay?"

"I was born here as both a human and as a Nephilim." She said simply. "This is my home. Batman does a fine job with the major threats, but he can't connect with the people. He doesn't have the time to help the ones that most people ignore. The humans that follow me know that I care about them; I help feed them, clothe them, and make sure the streets are safe for their children. They _know_ me, as you have already seen."

Barbra nodded in agreement. "And you do a fine job. Once the major threats of the city are gone, Batman and the GPD can take care of the major and minor crimes and you can take care of the people as you see fit and any criminal that crosses your path. The mayor has requested a contract between you and the people though."

She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean 'a contract'?"

"He is asking for your word: A promise, if you will. That you will, indeed, help us clean up Gotham and not quit halfway through if things get rough. Anything will do, a tape recording, a statement on paper with your signature, etc."

"I have a question: Would the mayor be willing to give us official power? The police system is corrupt, that's part of the city's problem. I don't want to put anyone out, yet at the same time if we replaced the police force..."

"If you replaced the police force then you'd be sending a lot of good people home without a job. You let me worry about the police force once we have progress into taking down the Narrows. I know the majority of who's on our and side and who isn't. The only problem is proving it. If we can get the top guys in jail, I can work on filtering out my department. What official power did you have in mind anyway?"

"Access to your resources: Cameras, wire-taps, phone-taps, maps of the city and the tunnels beneath it." She was serious.

"That's not official power, that's official access to police equipment and confidential information. That would be my call, not his."

"We'd also need access to the city, all of it. We essentially need a key to the city as a whole. I'll need a lab as well..."

"Everything that isn't through the police department, you'll need direct permission from the Mayor. I can get that for you. A lab shouldn't be a problem. Wayne Industries, I do believe, has labs. Some rooms that aren't used either, as I recall it."

The queen looked like she was getting a headache. "I honestly didn't think too far in terms of the candle being white..."

Barbra laughed, this time the amusement reaching her eyes. "Human's aren't totally lost to the idea of change. Take tonight, think it through, come back tomorrow. The Mayor said the bounty will be taken off by morning but he wants information on what it is you'll need. As long as you don't try to take his place as mayor and you don't kill any harmless people, he'll support you and make sure the bounty stays off."

She nodded. "Is he planning on making a public apology and statement? Believe me, the only reason I would consider taking his place would be if I felt that he was growing corrupt and unfit to govern this city. Even then it would be my method of last resort. Also, can you have everything we need ready when I return tomorrow?"

"I don't know about the apology. You might have to take that up with him." she then nodded, her expression all business. "I can have everything you need by tomorrow night."

Nodding again, she made as though to get to her feet.

"Do you hate us? Humans I mean." she asked, remaining seated.

The queen paused and did not answer right away. "There was once a time that I was taught by my mother to respect your kind and to protect you because that was my responsibility to do so. Humans themselves taught me to hate and fear them. It's ... hard... to give a yes or no answer."

"These humans you see now on the streets, they're misguided. They need to find the path back and I believe that if you helped us, some would find it eventually." she stood. "I think you could find it in your heart to love humans like you were once taught."

"It's hard to help people who want you dead, who call you 'freak' and 'monster'. Though, I was hated and ignored as a human as well, at least now in this form I don't have to worry about people pretending anymore."

"I know what you mean." she muttered, thinking back to her days as Batgirl when she used to fight alongside Bruce and Dick.

"I will protect the humans, but I won't lift a feather to save those that don't want us around. They can either turn to batman or figure things out for themselves." Her tone had turned cold and hard. "I've already paid that price, and I won't let them do the same. We don't have enough time, resources, or members to save those who don't want to be saved."

Barbra raised a brow. "You've already paid that price? What do you mean? And what if the Batman turns to our side? He may be stubborn, but he's not dumb."

For an answer, she turned her back to Barbra and pulled her shirt down enough to show her the damage that wasn't fully healed yet. "I can no longer pass as a human even if I had to do so. My back was torn enough that I can't withdraw my wings without pain and further damage, I nearly died from the blood loss. As for batman, he's too much of a loner. He follows his own drum. Even if he allied himself with us, he can't be fully trusted." She left out the obvious 'he's a human', but she was definitely thinking it.

"He can't be trusted as an ally or he can't be trusted to follow you and you only?" she raised a brow, her eyes scanning the damage done.

"Both. He has no respect for me because I am spliced, he threatened my sister the night she was reborn and offered to find a 'cure' for her. According to him, I have no night to choose who is allowed to have wings and who is not."

"Hmm..." was the only thing she offered, lost in her own thoughts. "So what now?" she asked.

The young queen fixed her shirt. "Would the mayor still be available at this hour?"

"No he went home. Try again tomorrow night." she said and stood, prepared to go in for the night.

"Hmm..." She sounded thoughtful. "I see..." The queen took a step forward as though to go.

"I'll see you again soon?" she asked. Looking at this girl and thinking of Terry, they both were definitely different. Of course, they would both clash when it came to this matter and she couldn't help but sigh. God help them if their city ever became endangered and it was up to only them to save the city. Both deserved her respect and as of right now, they both held it equally.

"Tomorrow or the day after." She replied. "I think I'll make a house call..." The brunette said aloud, looking around for something to climb, scratching her head in puzzlement.

Barbra, seeing her predicament, rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Here." she moved a chair to the edge of the porch. "If you need something to help you take off, step onto the chair."

"It's not high enough... Oh! That'll do." Her mismatched eyes lit up when she turned her head and noticed a ladder propped up against she neighbor's house. "Very handy, but an invite to trouble, thank and warn them for me." The queen walked as fast as her body would permit, relieved that soon she'd be back in the air again.

"Do the wings make you walk funny?" asked Barbra, moving to open the door and took a half step inside.

"No, they help me keep my balance." Arianna answered. "They allow me to walk without aid."

"Ah..." now she remembered that as a human, Arianna was handicapped and got around by a wheelchair. "Have a good night Arianna."

"Thank you and the same to you." She was opening the gate that separated the two yards and all but ran to the ladder in her haste.

Barbra watched her climb the ladder and take flight before she went inside and closed the door to await her husband's return so she could update him on the new happenings of Gotham City.

In the air high above the city, Arianna hovered for a moment as she considered her next move with a frown. She was seriously considering seeing the mayor tonight, but wondered if that would be too impolite. Still weighing options, she fingered the comm unit in her ear. "SwiftSpy? KnightHawk?" Her voice was calm.

"We're here." they said in union.

"I just left the Commissioner, and may head over to the Mayor's home to fine tune things. The candle was white, so it appears that we are staying here for the moment." She flapped once to continue hovering. "How are you two doing my darlings?"

"We're fine, my sweet. Do you need us?" asked Chaos.

"I don't think seeing the Mayor tonight would be a good idea, SwanQueen. Rumor has it it's his birthday so he's probably celebrating it with his family." she said. In the background, there was a faint clicking noise, evident that Max was indeed doing research on the Mayor for Arianna.

The queen shivered quietly in midair when she thought about the disaster so nearly avoided. "Thanks SwiftSpy, you just saved my wing feathers. I'll be on my way back then, and we can plan our next move."

"Roger that." said the darker skinned girl.

"See you at home. Fly safe, love." Chaos said softly.

Half an hour later, the queen landed in the backyard and tapped on the locked door for entry.

Chaos was the one who opened the door since Max was in her room, who had recently turned it into a mini lab, working on putting together the information on the big leaders in the Narrows.

She hugged him tightly, shaking. "Earth and sky... I was so scared."

He hugged her back, the bare skin of his upper body encircling her. "Perhaps next time it would be better if one of us were nearby."

"Not until there are more of us my love." The queen relaxed slightly in his embrace. "It's a good thing batman was busy elsewhere tonight..."

Chaos smiled, "Yes, I don't feel comfortable having you fight him. He's a lot stronger than you think."

"I'm a diplomat KnightHawk, not a fighter." She reminded her mate.

"I don't trust him." he grumbled and pulled back from his lover's embrace.

"I never said we should, I don't entirely trust the humans either for that matter." She agreed with him. "How do you feel about scouting the Viper's Nest with me tonight, just to see what buildings we have to work with?"

"That would be a good idea." he agreed. "You should eat first. I cooked the rest of the rabbit I hunted a while back."

SwanQueen frowned thoughtfully as she took her seat at the table. "Maybe we should check out the forest instead... We need more game, and the park isn't enough. We could also use the opportunity to scout out a campsite."

"Which would you prefer to do? Personally I think we should scout the area first, and then look at the Viper's Nest."

"I agree with you, after all, not all of us will want to live in the city. Besides, it's good to know that there is a place to get some peace and quiet if need be." When her mate set the meal before her, she smiled her gratitude and started to eat. "This is very good, giving cooking lessons?"

Chaos grinned. "Glad you like it, and no, SwiftSpy doesn't like the feel of it until it's cooked so I'm left with the job. I don't mind it."

"I would like to learn if and when time permits." His queen said. "Hopefully she'll come around."

Still amused, Chaos chuckled. "You should see her face when I ask her to hold it for a second. It's priceless."

She did not appear amused. "That's not good..."

"No, but it is funny to watch."

Shaking her head, the brunette continued to eat, her mismatched eyes far away. Clearly she saw this as a serious problem that had to be dealt with, and soon.

Chaos watched her space out into her own thoughts. She did that a lot lately and it wouldn't bother him, if there had been a formal acknowledgement of their relationship. He adored her and she obviously felt something for him too, but it annoyed him that at any given moment she could be hit on, flirted with, because no one would know she was taken. The feeling arose an animal instinct in him to make that claim himself. His eyes drifted to her collarbone and his eyes got brighter, his teeth looked as though they were turning sharp. "SwanQueen..." he muttered softly, his eyes shone with love, hurt, feral _need_.

Her eyes refocused as she returned to the here and now with a mental snap. Seeing the look in her mate's eyes, she swallowed slightly. "KnightHawk?" His queen questioned. "What's wrong?"

"Mine..." he muttered and took a step closer. He stopped himself from moving any further though and studied her reaction, his eyes going from her collarbone to her eyes, torn on what to do.

"KnightHawk?" She asked again, tensing to prepare to get to her feet, cupping her wings closer to her for better balance.

He snarled and turned around so his back was facing her. His back was tense causing his wings to extend. "I have... a need to mark you." he uttered, not being able to face her and tell it to her face in case he snapped and bit her without warning.

"A mark?" His queen asked, getting slowly to her feet. She moved carefully so as not to make him snap.

"So others will know you're taken..." he sensed her movement and bowed his head, convincing himself that he had freaked her out. He closed his eyes, waiting for her presence to leave the room.

Wrapping her arms and wings around him from behind, she rested her head against his back. "Darling, is this because of that human at the mall?"

He tensed for a moment and then relaxed; relieved he hadn't freaked her out. "Yes... you're taken. Never again will someone try to pick you up while I'm around." he growled.

"Darling, he means nothing to me. You know that." The Queen tightened her embrace. "I was trying to get rid of him, but his head was too thick to get the hint!"

"I know. It just... angers me, love." he put a hand over her arms that held him and let himself relax into her embrace. "You mean more to me than you know."

"Honey... I'm sorry. I didn't know that waiting so long would hurt you so much. I keep meaning to figure out the Bonding ceremony, but with all the problems going on..."

"I know... I'm sorry. I don't mean to push you like this. I can wait." he promised and broke the embrace to turn around to face her, his eyes now calm and his teeth back to normal. "I'm starting to hate the humans more with every passing day." he said and bent down to give her a chaste kiss on her lips.

The queen kissed back tenderly. "_Our_ humans are polite, you have nothing to fear from them, and as for the others... They aren't any contest. We pair for life, and I don't stray."

"I don't either." he smiled, satisfied with her answer and hugged her. He playfully lifted her off the ground and spun her around, all the while burying his face in the crook of her neck to inhale her enticing scent.

Cuddling against him, she smiled. "I haven't even figured out the jewelry dilemma yet..." She confessed to her mate.

"Jewelry dilemma?" he asked, pausing and not letting her go.

"I don't want rings; they can be too easily removed. Necklaces can choke, bracelets slip..." She sighed against him.

"Perhaps an eternal mark."

"I hate tattoos." The queen shuddered.

"I'm not talking about a tattoo."

"That's the only eternal mark that I can think of... I'll think of _something_..." SwanQueen growled softly in annoyance. "May I finish my meal please?" She asked when her stomach growled in complaint.

Chaos chuckled, amused by her frustration and let her down gently. "I'm sure you will."

Returning to her half-eaten meal, she resumed her perch. "I've never liked the idea of rings..."

"Don't worry; we don't have to have rings. We're not human so it would only be natural if we were bonded by something unique that we could call our own."

The Queen smiled at her mate. "Feel better now?"

"Yes, much." he said and patted her head. "I'm going to the basement to train. If you need me call me."

"Don't work too hard, we'll leave after I'm done eating and checked on SwiftSpy." His mate answered after swallowing.

About ten minutes later, she'd finished and put her dishes in the sink after rinsing them before heading upstairs and knocking. "Sister?"

"Come in." she sounded distracted and when her door opened, she turned around in her chair, her frown of concentration disappearing. "Hey."

"How are you? Anything new?" Her queen asked as she entered the room. "Is there anything I need to know?"

"The 'Narrows' is the human name for the Viper Pit. I didn't know that until I looked it up from about thirty years ago. It's a name that's used by the GPD and Batman. The old Batman. I'm not sure Ter- I mean, the new Batman knows." she said quickly, trying to cover her slip up as best she could.

"I don't think he would. The Pit is too big for one person to crack. The only reason I want to do it is because it will underscore the fact that we are a unit and work together to clean house thoroughly, not one at a time like he does." She shrugged. "The new territory is the icing on the cake."

Relieved she didn't notice the slip up, Max grinned. "And what a yummy cake it will be. I just finished on the last of the big bosses. I have all the evidence, well, written evidence, you need. Chaos or the undercover cops will have to get the physical to back this up. I'll be working on the under guys for a while... a really long while." she said already sounding tired.

"I put the dishes in the sink. You go to bed SwiftSpy, you need sleep or you'll start making mistakes." Her queen said, looking concerned as she leaned over to kiss the other girl's forehead affectionately,

"But you're tired too." Max said. She grinned and traced a dark spot under Arianna's eyes with her finger. "You don't want to scare the Mayor with sunken eyes do you? That wouldn't work in our favor."

"The commissioner didn't notice at all." The brunette sighed. "The momentum is finally starting to get going and I need to keep up."

"Alright. Just make sure you rest for a long while when you get back." she said and kissed her queen's hand. "Good luck out there tonight. If you need me I'll have my comm link on."

With a smile that lit up her tired face, Arianna nodded and went back downstairs. "KnightHawk, are you ready to go?" She called

KnightHawk was already in the kitchen, ready to take flight. "I'm ready." he smiled at her, then walked her to the front door and opened it for her.

Beaming in thanks, she climbed the ladder that led to the roof. "It's a beautiful night."

"It is, it almost compares to you." he said and climbed up after her.

"You are such a flatterer." She smiled at him.

"Only for you." he winked at her.

With a laugh, the queen plummeted off the roof and hovered after a few wing beats as she waited for her mate.

He did the same and flew close to her, not touching because the close proximity would interfere with their wings flapping.

Together they started their way towards the forest, but Arianna stopped abruptly, cupping her wings slightly for balance as she hovered in the air. "What...?"

Her mate wasn't far behind. "What is it?"

The Queen scanned the view below intently. "I thought I saw something down there."

Chaos went down lower to the ground until his feet touched the earth. "I don't see anything." he said, scanning the area.

As though in answer to that question, there was a child's cry of despair, which sent the Nephilim Queen shooting past her mate.

He took a protective step back but stayed close enough so that if an angry parent came out of nowhere, Chaos would get to Arianna first.

Landing quickly, Arianna hugged the crying child, murmuring softly to him. "Check the alley."

Automatically, he did as instructed and saw no one. He came back with the answer clear on his face.

Looking confused, she looked at the child. "Sweetie... can you tell me what happened?"

The five-year-old boy cried harder and buried his face in her white shirt.

Chaos put a hand on Arianna's shoulder. "Let's take him home. We can do a scan tomorrow."

A second later, Batman drove up and stopped a few feet away from them and got out of his Batmobile. "What's going on?" He asked once he saw the child in her arms.

"I don't know. We heard a cry and landed." The queen replied, trying gently without success to free herself from the hysterical child in her arms.

"Will he let go?" asked Batman, not taking a step closer. He didn't fail to notice the protective stance Chaos has taken.

"He hasn't yet." She said to the men standing above her. "Sweetie, can you let go?" She said gently to the child.

"No!" he cried, and held her tighter, new tears forming in his eyes. His hair and face were dirty but the bruises on his neck were visible. It had been a long time since he had a gentle female embrace him and he very obviously wasn't ready to let go of that.

The queen shifted into a more comfortable position, to better hold the child in her arms. When she looked at the men standing there, her mismatched eyes were hard and angry. "Both of you take to the air, see what you can find." She said softly.

Batman didn't even try to protest or argue. There was a child at stake and that was enough for him to get a move on. He and Chaos rose into the rose at the same time, Batman using his suit wings and the two went in opposite directions.

Wrapping her wings around the child protectively and hummed softly. "It's okay now, it's okay..."

Batman and Chaos met back in the middle of the territory, both having found nothing. "Wait," said Batman and pointed to the limping woman, heading into another alley. "That's asking for trouble."

"Maybe that's what she wants." Chaos replied. "Come on, maybe she's that kid's mom."

They both landed, Batman behind her, Chaos in front. She shrieked, frightened.

"We're not here to harm you lady." said Batman. Hearing him say that stopped her shrieks but she was still scared.

"My Pairbond... my mate, found a little boy about five or six. Do you know anything about him?" asked Chaos and when she burst into tears, he and Batman didn't know what to do. Chaos put a hand on her shoulder but she slapped his hand away. His eyes flared with temper but Batman stepped in.

"Is he your son?"

"Leave me alone! I don't want him anymore! Five years! I've had that burden for five whole fucking years! I deserve more! I deserve freedom!" Batman's eyes widened, his heart went out to the boy. Chaos only got angry.

"No, you deserve a lifetime in hell to pay for your sins." he looked at Batman expectantly.

"You're coming with me, lady. I'll get you to a police station and they can deal with you there." she didn't struggle when he grabbed her arm. "Chaos, I'll want to see the child." he said as the winged man jumped off the ground and flapped until he was high enough in the air.

"You'll have to go through SwanQueen for that one." he replied. Batman sighed and restrained the woman then pressed a button for his Bat mobile to find him so he could take the woman to the authorities.

"I hope batman doesn't want the child." The queen sounded slightly pained. "He has a really good grip on me, I'm going to be bruised, but it's not because of you darling..." Her voice came though to Chaos' ear.

"I'm almost there, hon." he said and as promised, he landed softly in front of them. The child had stopped crying, but he was shaking from fright, hunger and the chilly air.

Arianna's face looked pained as she opened her wings slightly, showing that the child was still gripping her for dear life.

Chaos flinched and was going to tell Arianna what he and Batman found; but he thought it best when the child wasn't around. "Let's go home."

"Are you sure that is a good idea?"

"Yes. Trust me. Batman said he's going to come by later."

Nodding, she gently shook the child. "Sweetie, would you like to come with us? No one will hurt you, I promise."

The child nodded, wanting nothing more but the warmth and love of anyone who was willing to give it.

"Will you let my pairbond carry you?" She raised it eyebrow at Chaos, silently asking if he could do that.

Chaos nodded and held his arms out to the child. The boy looked at Chaos and hesitantly let go of Arianna to let Chaos hold him. Chaos encircled his large arms around the thin boy and let the child grip him tightly around the neck. "Ready? We're going to fly." the boy nodded, not fully understanding but not wanting to displease.

Arianna stretched. "I'll join you in a minute; I need to get rid of the cramps in my legs."

"Alright." he jumped up and flapped, the child holding him tighter from the surprise of it.

Two minutes later, his queen joined him. "SwiftSpy, we have a situation, can you warm up a meal from whatever offerings we have? We found a child who looks abused." Her voice was tight with anger as she spoke into the comm.

"Yeah sure." she sounded like she had just been awoken. "I'll have it on the table by the time you get here."

"Thanks, sorry to wake you up." A few minutes later, they landed, and Arianna opened the door as her mate landed. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah..." Max said as she watched the dirty child hold onto Chaos's neck like a lifeline. "He got a name?"

"Not yet." Her tone was soft but hard, clearly for her sister's ears alone, "Are you hungry?" She asked the child in a louder voice.

The child nodded and looked at the table to see a plate of food. His eyes widened and his mouth watered. "I'm hungry." he said and Chaos walked him to the table and set him down on the chair.

"Eat." he commanded and almost immediately, the child grabbed pieces of the meat with his fingers and shoved them in his mouth.

Arianna swiftly stopped the child. "Slow down or you'll choke. Please use the fork, no one will take your food sweetie." Above the child's head, she looked at the other members of her family. "Do we have a camera? I would like to clean the child, but I want pictures first."

Max went around the corner and took grabbed her digital camera. The child's mouth was stuffed with food but he at least had a fork in his hand. "How many do you want?"

"One from all angles, I'll get closer up after he eats. Slow down and chew or I will feed you like a baby." Arianna answered.

The child looked at her, then went back to his food but this time listened and took one piece at a time. Max took a picture at all angles with the child looking up once from his plate to see why there was a flash.

"Pairbond, do you think you could...?" she looked at her mate. "My clothes are too girly."

"I'll find a shirt." he said, nodded.

"I'll go out and get him new clothes." Offered Max, setting the camera down.

"Thank you. Put the shirt in my bathroom, he'll feel safer there I think."

Chaos nodded and left to do as she asked while Max headed out, not bothering to refold her wings since it was unsafe to do. Besides, there was a small shop a block away that they protected. She was sure the owner wouldn't mind letting her buy some clothes.

By the time batman showed up, the boy had been fed, bathed, and was sitting firmly in the Queen's lap.

When the Nephilim Queen looked into Batman's eyes, they were filled with a cold rage even as the child cuddled closer, tightening his grip on her hand. "Shush young one, you are safe here..." She soothed softly. To batman she said. "We took pictures."

"How is he doing?" he asked, walking in the house as if he had the authority. Well... technically he did since he was Terry, Bruce's apprentice... but Arianna didn't know that.

"He hasn't let me out of his sight. Not even in the bathroom." She smiled slightly. "He ate like a wild thing though, had to remind him twice to chew."

"His name is Joshua. Chaos and I found his mother. Did he tell you?"

She nodded, her face tightening. "Are they throwing the big book at her?"

"She's being charged and they want Joshua but I told them he was being taken care of." he ran a hand over his mask clad face. "I want to know that I'm allowed to visit him whenever I want." he said, for once showing his affectionate side.

"If two of us are present, that's fine." Arianna answered.

"Why do two of you have to be present? Perhaps I want to spend some quality time with him." His eyes narrowed.

She narrowed her eyes. "Later." The queen stroked the child's hair pointedly with her free hand.

Joshua looked sleepy in her arms, blinking owlishly. "Sleepy Angel..." He said.

"All right. Scoot over, you'll sleep in my room tonight sweetie..."

Joshua got up, waved goodnight to Batman, who uttered his farewell. "I'll come back another night to see him."

Max was waiting outside. "He's very skittish, that's why she wants two of us here with him."

Batman paused, tensed for a moment and then visibly relaxed. "I understand. How are things?" he asked.

"She needs more sleep than she's getting." Max sounded annoyed. "Four or five hours is the norm for her."

"I meant for you." he said but smiled. "I have a feeling she'll get some sleep tonight."

"He'll make her sleep with him, if she leaves the room, he screams. Joshua got very attached very quickly."

"That's good. At least he has someone to call friend rather than see everyone was a threat. That would make things harder." he grinned and put his hands on his hips. "I do believe you owe me an answer."

"I'm better than I've ever been." Max replied. "Working hard, but loving it. Mostly the two of us are trying to keep up with her and making sure she doesn't work herself to death trying to do everything she feels needs to be done."

"It's good to see you Max. You look good." he smiled at her but left it there. He didn't want to push his luck since he all but scared her off a week or so ago. "Gotta go, boss is calling." he said and got into his Batmobile and sped off.

Max didn't bother answering or watching him leave, she already went back into the house, pausing to check on her queen and smiled when she saw Queen and child fast asleep curled around each other. Yes Max admitted to herself that had feelings for Terry, and she always would in some way, yet looking at her sleeping Queen, she also knew that she was needed here and doing something worthwhile now. Terry and Max were on parallel paths, but working towards the same ultimate goal.

As Terry flew the batmobile away, he took off his mask and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I need to talk to you Arianna." he whispered to himself, his eyes troubled with guilt. He felt utterly terrible about how he had treated his cousin and it was times like these where he really hated who he used to be. Hopefully, he could make her see that. Hopefully, if he talked to her, she would be willing to forgive him.

The next morning she got up at dawn after a few hours sleep, untangled herself from the sleeping child and started to get ready for the day. In her mind, the Nephilim Queen was rehearsing what she was going to say when she met with the Mayor... assuming she could get into his office.

Max has already been up and was making breakfast for the four of them. "Hey, ready for today?" she asked when she saw Arianna enter the kitchen.

"Yeah, took me a while because Joshua wouldn't let go though." Arianna said quietly. "I might have acquired a son..." She looked both perplexed and overjoyed at the concept. "Are you going to sleep soon?"

"No, I have too much to do. I'll watch over him while you're away. KnightHawk should be here too."

"Thanks, sorry to dump this on the two of you..." Arianna sighed, and looked pensive as she ate.

Max laughed and wrapped an arm around her while the other held the skillet she was using to fry fish Chaos had caught. She reeled Arianna in and turned her upper body so she could hug her. "Don't you worry about us. It'll be cake."

"I'll have my comm unit on in case anything happens." The queen promised, helping herself to more fish.

"Will do." she said and shooed Arianna away. "Hurry up and go so you can get back. I miss you already."

Stuffing one last piece in her mouth, Arianna left and took to the skies a minute later. When she got to the City Hall, she hovered uncertainly. While making up her mind, she circled the building, wondering if the Mayor's window was open.

Not a moment later, his window opened from the inside, letting her know she was being expected.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, the Queen flew to the open window and looked around for a minute before entering the office proper. "Thank you very much. I did not wish to make a scene." She said to the mayor, knowing her expected some half-wild savage.

The mayor smiled uncertainly in greeting at his guest. He looked a little younger than Barbra was. "I understand. Please, have a seat." he said, already having sat back down in his chair. He was utterly bewildered that anyone would call a small, fragile looking girl, a monster. Even with the wings, she looked harmless and he let the confusion show through a frown.

The Queen seemed amused as she took the slightly too tall chair that was offered to her. "You've never heard the quote 'Never judge a book by its cover' have you?" She asked as she perched on the edge and adjusted her glasses. After a moment, she frowned slightly, got up and adjusted her chair so her back wasn't to the door. "A lot of humans don't heed that advice."

"I've heard of it. Just didn't know what this particular book looked like until now," he confessed. "Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you." Her sweet face turned serious. "You are aware of the hatred in this city you've fanned for me and mine. I thought one of the human ideas was 'innocent until proven guilty', at least that was what I was taught."

The Mayor cleared his throat. "As you are aware, I've taken that bounty off your head and have given the Commissioner full permission to conduct a search for your mother's murderer."

Frowning, the Nephilim Queen shook her head slowly. "That is not enough now, if you are going to reverse the damage you've done and turn the tide, there has to be more." She might have looked child-like, but she spoke like a hardened adult.

Surprised, the mayor narrowed his eyes. "And what exactly are you demanding?" he asked, trying to keep his temper from flaring.

"There has to be a public apology and an announcement that anyone who raises a hand to me, my people, and the humans under my protection will be dealt with by me. Make it clear that every official supports us, even you have to shake the city to it's foundations to do so. Use it as the springboard to clean the house from the top down, I'm doing it in reverse, so- Earth and Sky be willing- we'll meet in the middle." A polite yet somewhat vindictive smile bloomed on her lips. "I want my house _clean_, Batman wasn't thorough enough and now it's worse than before, I won't make the same mistake."

The Mayor took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, thinking about this proposition. It wasn't like she was asking for anything rash, in fact it was quite do-able. "Alright. Tomorrow evening I'll make the public announcement. Are you suggesting we get rid of Batman altogether? Capture him and make him stop his protecting of the city? If this Batman is anything like the one I once knew, it will be impossible to capture him and keep a hold on him."

"No, for now, Batman is needed. If he decides to step down, I'll deal with it then." She tapped her slender fingers. "I have a request, but it is more of a personal nature."

"Well you'll never know my answer if you don't ask." he gave his guest a good-natured smile, one that a grandfather would give their granddaughter that they were very fond of.

"I want your word and promise that when I've arranged things to my satisfaction, you will return my mother's body to me so that I may properly honor her memory as my creator as well as my mother." Seeing his eyes widen, the Queen took pity on him. "If this is not possible, then I at least want permission to do the task myself."

He took another breath but could deny her nothing. "You have my permission, yes." he placed his hands upon his desk and neatly folded them. "I'll be having the Commissioner be our messenger if we can't- for some reason- contact one another."

"Thank you. We do not bury our dead, so what was done..." Arianna shuddered in wordless horror.

"What is it that you do?" he asked, genuinely interested.

"We are cremated, and mix our ashes with the soil used to plant a fruit tree that they chose. That way when the tree grows, the person is remembered and still contributing to their family." The queen smiled sadly. "That was her idea, but I have another reason for doing it this way."

The man across from her held up a hand, telling her he didn't need any further explanation. "That isn't a problem." he said. "We'll just need your mother's body long enough to gather the evidence needed to put the man in jail."

"I am not worried, Mother was still a human when she died. You won't be able to recreate the splicing DNA from her. So long as respect is given, I have no objections. Though when the offender is caught..." Without knowing it, queen's fingers flexed in threat, her talon-like nails digging into her lap.

"He will be dealt with by the authorities." he said, his voice holding no room for objection.

Looking unhappy, she nodded.

"Was there anything else that needed to be discussed?"

"Not unless you had more questions you wanted answered." The queen replied calmly, prepared to answer any splicing question asked.

"I do have one question." he said and cleared his throat when it cracked a bit. "How are the Nephilim chosen?"

"They are chosen personally by me after I observe them for a while. I will give them the Choice as well as explain what it means, then watch them while they think about it. If I judge them worthy, they will be reborn. If not, I don't return."

"How many have asked?"

"Only two have come to me and asked. The others that I asked after the hunt was declared did not pass my test." She answered calmly.

"Would you give them second chances?"

"No. The Choice is only offered once. I want only the best for my kind so that we thrive in the future after the formula is destroyed."

He nodded in understanding. "Well I think that's all I have to ask for now. Perhaps sometime in the near future we can have a get together. Ask each other questions that will surely arise."

The queen made as though to rise, but stopped mid-motion when a thought occurred to her. "Did she tell you that we want the Narrows after the criminals who infest the area are cleared out? She didn't tell me if you approved or not."

"I didn't have an answer to give her then but I thought it over and I don't see why it should be a problem. It saves from other criminals trying to infest it again."

She nodded graciously. "Thank you very much, though you might want to make that clear to the city's businessmen." The queen raised an eyebrow. "They might try to expand or go where they are not welcome."

"They won't if I say that part of town is off limits."

Arianna smiled. "If only the rest of your people were like you."

The Mayor smiled back. "Thank you." he said, sincerely grateful for the compliment. "I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

"I hope it will remain so." She agreed, heading towards the windows. "Are the police already aware that I'm not to be shot?"

"Yes. Now the citizens must be informed tomorrow you are not go be seen as a threat any longer."

"Thank you. I'll make sure we see the news, though we don't watch TV often." Spreading her wings slightly, she stepped onto the windowsill with a bit of a hop.

"Fly safe." was the only thing he could think of to tell her and unbeknownst to him, it was completely appropriate since it was something they all said to each other before a flight.

"Land with Grace." Arianna answered, automatically finishing the reply, then swore as a hovercar raced by without warning. "I hate flying during the day." She muttered. "Too many humans in cans..."

The Mayor laughed. "I'd offer a ride but I have a meeting in five minutes and I don't see you sitting comfortably with your wings out."

"Forgive my language." She said, looking abashed. Then her attention shifted. "Yes I'm fine, it was just a hovercar."

"No offence taken... who are you talking to?"

"My people wear comm units when outside among humans in case I need rescuing."

"Smart move, especially now when the streets are dangerous."

"We don't trust humans entirely unless they are ours." With that food for thought as a parting shot, The Queen plummeted out the window, diving towards the ground before pulling up and soaring away.

The Mayor went to the window, watched her until she was out of sight, and left swiftly for his meeting. She was an interesting girl. She reminded him of his granddaughter... he smiled sadly at her memory before making those thoughts leave for the time being. He had business to attend to now.


	12. Rays of Hope and Darkness of Despair

Author's note: Thanks to inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter and I'm sorry that the wait was so long! I've been having problems getting things to upload and having laptop troubles. Please enjoy the chapter and remember to review!

* * *

The next evening, Bruce called Terry over to the central control panel. "Terry come here, I think she scored a major point."

Without responding, the teen made his way to his mentor's mansion as quickly as he could. Once there, he made his way to the Batcave where Bruce had his screen on the channel the mayor was giving his speech.

"Citizens of Gotham... As of yesterday, it has come to my attention that we can no longer stay in a city that rots before our eyes. Where there's fear around every corner that lurks." he paused for effect and looked down at his notes. He frowned at them before tossing them aside and looking straight at the people before him. "Look, Gotham was once a city to be respected. It has always had its ups and downs but we overall felt safe. But now there's a place in Gotham no one dares go in. We all know it as the south part of the city, closest to Arkham Asylum, but others, namely the Gotham Police Force and I, know it as the 'Narrows'. Every criminal worth fearing resides there. Everyone knows it, that's why we all fear it." he took a deep breath. "Batman has done a wonderful job keeping everyone safe from harm outside of the Narrows and Gotham's Police Department is doing all they can to take them down but we need help. We need people, a race, that's completely devoted to helping us take those criminals down so they're off our streets. We need Arianna Fairchild and her steadily growing race of Nephilim." when the crowd started talking in both outrage and confusion, he held up a hand and they quieted. "I understand your confusion for this change of events, however, her kind are the real deal. They're offering us a chance to have a peaceful city, justice, and in return, all they want is a place to call home without being hated. All they ask in return is our respect. It's not a hard thing to give since they're risking their lives for our benefit." he paused again and looked like he wanted to say something more but stopped himself and changed course. "I've made my decision. The Nephilim will stay and we give them our respect. Those who don't, will be dealt with accordingly. Anyone to raise a hand against any of them will deal directly with their queen. Give them a chance and you'll see they aren't like we thought they were... thank you, have a wonderful evening." with that he left the podium and when a reporter tried to ask him why he so suddenly changed his mind, he said so everyone could hear, that he wasn't taking questions at that time.

Bruce whistled. "I wonder if he realizes just how much power he's just given her." He said thoughtfully.

"I don't even know how I feel about this right now." said Terry. "It's good but... why did he so suddenly change his mind?"

"That, I don't know. I suspect their Queen had something to do with it though. My guess is she took a gamble and made some house calls to verbally knock their heads together." He shook his head. "The mayor doesn't realize that he has- in effect- given her a free rein to do what she wants."

"She has limits. I'll see to that."

Bruce shook his head. "Let's wait and see what she does on her own first."

The next day the students in the hall watched as Arianna walked down the halls to gather her things. Most of the students looked like they didn't know what to think, like they were in a grey area when it came to the Nephilim queen. Others were hateful. The looks on their faces were angry and they whispered harsh things to one another, mainly their opinions based on their parents. The rest, along with some teachers, clapped for her bravery, agreeing with everything she did and stood for they were obviously grateful for her intention to help their city.

The queen herself looked neither left nor right, though when some students smiled timidly, she returned the smile. Empting out Chaos' locker, she picked up her bag again and carefully made her way towards Max's. They hadn't asked her to retrieve the things they had left behind, but she felt that it was better to get everything at once. She kept her breathing steady as she fiddled with Max's lock.

"I have a lock opener if you need one," said a female voice behind her. The girl was her age with wavy reddish brown hair and clear pale skin.

"Thank you very much." The queen smiled. "I'm not very good with lockers."

The teen smiled. "No problem. I can almost never remember my combination so I have a lock opener to cut it." she laughed and blushed. "Sorry, I'm blabbering." she reached into her handbag and took out her small lock opener and cut the lock, enabling Arianna to open the locker.

"Again, thank you very much." Arianna quickly but carefully emptied the contents into the bag. "I hope I'm not breaking anything..." Shutting the locker, she turned sideways to face the one who helped her. "May I please barrow that one more time? I have one more stop to make."

"Yeah sure. Did you wanna take it and bring it back to me later or do you want me to follow you?"

"You may follow me; it will only take a few minutes, so you shouldn't be too late for class." The Queen was acting calm, but the slightly spread position of her wings betrayed that she was expecting a fight.

"I have a spare this period actually. I usually make a couple stops to my dojo to say hi to my sensei but then I saw you and thought you were a little bit more interesting than my dojo." she said with a warm smile. She then noticed Arianna was tense and looked around her at the various emotions stringing off of people in waves. "Oh..." was the only thing she could manage before a girl, a bit bigger than her and Arianna stepped forward with her two friends in tow. It was obvious they were the 'mean girls' of the school.

Stiffing a sigh, the Queen tucked her wings in slightly and altered her path to go around them.

The leader stuck out her arm but didn't look at her. "You're not going any further, freak."

Frowning, Arianna took a step back. "We'll go around; it's the long way so it will take a few minutes longer." She said to the girl beside her.

The girl nodded and made to move the other way with Arianna but the other girls blocked their paths, surrounding them. "Tell your Barbie dolls to move out of our way, Ashley." said the girl.

The blonde named Ashley laughed and took a step forward. "Yeah right. Get out of the school, both of you." she glared at the girl that was helping Arianna. "You should know better than to associate yourself with freaks like her."

"You heard what the Mayor said, Ashley. They're to be treated as if they're one of us."

"Some of us don't follow crazy old men. Or do you just get kicks out of following old men that you wish you could get in your bed so you won't be so lonely?"

The girl's cheeks flared red with anger. "Say that. One. More. Time." her tone was dangerous and her whole attention was on Ashley.

"There's no sense arguing with them, their brains are so small that they wouldn't understand anything you said anyway Ms. Just walk away. They are nothing more than sheep in human skin and not worth the effort." She laid one hand on the other girl's shoulder.

The girl took a deep breath to calm herself down from the jab and turned on her heel. "You're right." she muttered and pushed passed the girl blocking their way to their next stop. "Where to?" she asked, ignoring the stares of everyone around them, just as Arianna was doing.

"Hey! Don't you walk away from us!" said an out raged Ashley. "You god damn freaks! Stay away from our school! You're not welcome here!" she screamed down the hall. "I hope your mother's killer never gets found, bitch! Teach you to mess with splicing!"

"You aren't worth avenging that slur..." The Queen muttered in low fury, her body stiff with suppressed anger as she stalked away, snarling just loud enough to keep others away.

The girl kept walking with Arianna, glad that Ashley, the bitch of the year, stopped talking when she realized Arianna wasn't going to engage in verbal or physical fights.

They got a couple halls away before the redhead took a deep breath. "Not everyone around her is like her." she said in a low tone.

"It's people like her that remind me why I learned to hate humans to the point that it almost overrides the training I was given." The Queen snarled, pointing towards a locker. "That one is the last one I need."

The girl unlocked the locker and took a step back. "You'll get that with everything. Some dogs are loveable to the core, others not so much. I'm Laura, by the way."

"The humans under my protection call me 'Angel' or 'Milady Angel'." She managed a smile before raking the contents into her bag.

Laura smirked. "Is that an invitation?"

"I don't use my human name unless I don't have a choice, and my Nephilim name is only used by my kind. The names 'Angel' and 'Milady Angel' are merely terms of respect." The Queen said kindly.

"I like Angel. It's kind of endearing." she said thoughtfully for a moment before smiling.

"Thank you very much for your help." The queen shut the locker and zipped the bag closed before switching her grip. "I hope that you have a nice day." She calmly started to head for the stairs, ignoring the students who were skipping class who melted out of her way like Moses parting the Red Sea. To all appearances, although her steps were slow, she walked as though she belonged there and the humans getting out of her way was nothing more than her just due as a Nephilim as well as the Nephilim Queen.

"Is everything okay SwanQueen?" asked Max. You could hear the hesitation in her voice, indicating that she indeed heard what had transpired. "Do you need one of us to come get you?"

"I am unharmed." The Queen assured her, though she couldn't keep the barely contained rage out of her voice. "I _hate_ sheep..." Opening the door to the roof, the brunette seated herself on the bench. "I'll return when I calm down honey."

"Be careful and fly safe." was the last thing she said before there was silence for a few moments. After another minute, the door opened and Terry McGinnis walked up behind her. "You okay?" he asked, feeling the rage come off her in waves but still too concerned to just leave her alone.

The Queen's fingers flexed, talons scraping stone. "I'm fine." Shifting slightly, she turned her head just enough to fix Terry with her blue eye. "You shouldn't be skipping class."

"Spare." was all he offered before taking it upon himself to sit beside her. "We have to talk."

For an answer, she folded her wings more tightly around her. "Sister, I'm taking out the comm unit, you don't need to hear this." She said to the worried ones listening on the other end.

Terry's brow furrowed as if torn on what he was about to do. He slipped off the bench, knelt down on his knees, and leaned down so his head was resting on her lap. "I know this may not mean much to you now, but I am truly sorry for the way I treated you. It's not because you're legally accepted in society, it's because I honestly am sorry." he said quietly. This was the position Arianna used to take when they were kids and he had gotten mad at her. Taking this position now, Terry thought that maybe she'd understand and see that he was indeed sorry for the way he treated her.

Her anger gave way to absolute shock, although she racked her memory, the brunette couldn't remember any time he had done this before. "Terry?"

"I really am sorry. I don't want our relationship to end terribly. I don't want you to hate me, because I don't hate you. At all." He didn't look up from his position or move an inch.

"It hurt that you thought you were right and that you made me feel like the scum that batman peels off his boots. You accused me of doing things that I never did or would ever do."

"I know... I didn't mean it. I was angry. That's no excuse, I know and I'll do my best to make sure it never happens again."

"Do you know why I chose to be the Queen?" His cousin asked finally.

"It's your rightful place?" he asked, still not moving but tensing, fearing her answer.

"I became the Queen to guide and protect the others who accepted the Choice. When I did that, I accepted responsibility for each and every one of them. The humans who hate us hate _me_, not them. As a Queen, I cannot look back or hesitate. There will come a time when I _will_ have human blood on my hands; there won't be any other choice. I have to be able to walk away completely when someone rejects the Choice, regardless of how close I was to that person. Moreover, I have to make sure that if one of mine breaks our laws, that the punishment is carried out without fall, even if it is cruel and breaks my heart in the process." Her voice was level.

"I don't mind it if you won't offer it to me again. I can live with being human but it hurts to know that I hurt you so bad you have nothing but hate for me. I changed my old ways for a reason and I don't want even a shred of them coming back and affecting my life now, which I why I'm offering my whole being as an apology."

Taking his head in her hands, Arianna was crying as she kissed him softly, a world of meaning behind that act. "I believe you but... the Choice can only be offered one time. I loved you, but this I cannot change."

He hugged her, wrapping his arms around her being. "I love you too." he whispered to her. "Just don't shut me out completely. That's all I ask."

"You would have been a Warrior to be proud of." She whispered. "I shut you out because I didn't want to hurt you and hurt myself watching you..."

"Hurt me? How?" Terry felt a tear slide down his cheek. He felt like a complete jerk. He hurt her and she shut him off to _protect_ him. Truly, he didn't deserve her affection.

"Other humans would come after you to get to me if they thought for a moment I cared about you. By walking away, I sent a message that human attachments could not be used against me."

"I can take care of myself. Trust me on that." his embrace tightened. "I won't get hurt."

"I separated us from the humans for a reason. We are _not_ human, the human laws- however much we honor them- do not apply to us. We can protect them because we aren't attached to them; we have no line to walk on."

"I know... but sooner or later you will come in contact with a human that you will love with your entire being, regardless of anyone's laws. All I'm saying is don't completely shut me out of your life because we will come in contact again in one form or another."

"I have a pairbond." Arianna replied. "He accepted the Choice. There will be no crossbreeding, that rule is written in stone."

"I don't mean crossbreed." he said and loosened his embrace. "One day you'll understand what I'm talking about. There's something I need to tell you...but I can't tell you now. Only when the time is right." he said and let her go. He wanted desperately to tell her that he was Batman but it would only add to her worries and she'd tell him to stop. If he was going to be any use to her in the near future, there couldn't be any distractions for her. That would only endanger her life and he'd damned before he let that happen.

Arianna wiped her eyes and shifted her wings. "I love you, but our lives are different now. They may cross from time to time, but we can never be as close as we once were. My whole focus has to be on my own kind."

Terry wouldn't deny the hurt he felt but he smiled at her anyway as he pulled back. "I love you too." he kissed her forehead, thankful that she wasn't still angry with him and that he still had her love. That, at least for now, was enough for him.

The brunette sighed. "I hate them… They make it so easy, they have no idea how I was trained. They are nothing but sheep in human skin."

"Are you talking about people like Ashley and her lackeys?"

"Yes, and those weak enough to follow the crowd without thinking for themselves." The anger was back in her voice. "I might have forgiven those that changed their minds, but I won't forget."

"Understandable." he said and stood from his spot. "I have to head back, spare is almost over. I'll talk to you soon." he swooped down to give her a quick hug before making him way to the door of the roof. "Fly safe."

The Nephilim Queen stood with the bag in her hand. "Terry, I don't know how the others will treat you considering everything that's gone on. If I'm with them address me as 'Angel' or 'Milady Angel', the second one is better, because otherwise they won't let you anywhere near me."

"Got it." he replied and smiled before closing the door behind himself, leaving the Queen to her thoughts.

Swooping off the roof, she put the comm unit back in her ear. "I'm heading back now, everything is all right."

As Terry made his way down the stairs and to his next class, he pondered over his feelings on turning Arianna down when she offered the Choice. As much as he wanted to, he didn't regret it. He had his mother, brother and Bruce here. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't break his ties to them, they were too dear to him. Sighing he made his way into class and sat down in his usual spot beside Laura.

But now there was a line he and Arianna could never cross. There was no way she was going to allow them to be as close as they were before. She even had Max wrapped around her finger with that one and it was then that he finally felt like he could let Max go. He knew now that things couldn't work. She was too loyal to Arianna and the laws forbidding them from being together. As depressing as the thought was, he wasn't all that upset by it. Max would find someone, and so would he. There was no reason to rush things. Glancing over at Laura, he noticed she was looking outside, veering off into her own thoughts, much like he was going to do for the rest of the class.

Later that night, Arianna landed in the forest that would soon be theirs, a flashlight in her hand. Her mate and her sister were fiddling with the police's cameras and wiretaps. Since the Queen admitted that she had no technical know how, she had volunteered to check out the forest area and check out possible sites for their garden and a private home site for those that wouldn't want to live with _any_ humans. Sweeping her flashlight around, she sighed before walking around the area to pace it, "Might work... A little small though for a home site..."

In a tree above her, Batman stood. He hadn't meant to be there when she was. He was looking for a goon that had escaped his grasp not ten minutes before. "It's dangerous to be out alone you know." he said, seeing no need to hide himself from her.

The Queen jumped, swinging around to face him, then relaxing. "Oh, it's you. You don't seem to have any problem with it."

Batman grinned and took a couple steps closer. "I can fight and I have gadgets to help me. You don't. Plus there's a thug here somewhere."

"Did you check the cave?" She sounded annoyed, already returning to her work, kneeling down to unzip her bag. "Clipboard... Clipboard..."

"Yeah. He might be long gone but I didn't want to risk it and started looking in here. What are you doing in here anyway?"

"He's long gone, went down the underground tunnel in the cave, at least, I'm pretty sure there is a tunnel down there. My pairbond was rather upset that we lost our dinner deer when we were hunting. It got away from us and never came out of there." She replied, sidestepping his questions calmly, taking out a pencil and her clipboard. Holding her flashlight in her mouth, she began to scribble rapidly on the map that Max had printed for her after her tongue-lashing.

"So, I heard that you and Terry had a talk. He told me to lay off the hostilities." He said, checking his infer-red sight and sure enough, there were no other humans within the vicinity.

"That would be very helpful." The queen answered politely after removing the flashlight to speak, rising to her feet to pace the area again. "Family garden maybe…" She murmured to herself.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her after turning off his infer-red.

"I'm trying to decide the best use for this site." She replied. "Not all Nephilim will want to live around humans. Some might prefer living in privacy."

"I see. And what of the humans you protect?"

"They will be protected." The queen answered. "We won't abandon those loyal to us."

"And those who aren't? Will you abandon lost souls?"

"Why try protecting those who don't want our protection? We don't have the resources, time, or peoplepower to do so. They aren't completely defenseless, they have you." The Queen replied as she took more notes before packing up and shouldering the bag.

"Now you think I'm useful." he muttered and sighed. "Alright, I won't fight with you on it."

Before she spoke again, she climbed the tree he was in and perched on a branch above him. "You protect and ask for nothing in return, but you can do that. You can take off the mask and blend in with everyone else. We can't do that, we've given our lives for this purpose, the city thinks we are proving ourselves to them, but it's actually the reverse."

"In a way, you are proving yourself. You're proving your not the monsters that you were claimed to be."

Frowning, she shook her head. "No, because I _know_ I am not like that. I have nothing to prove to the humans. They are the ones proving themselves to my people and I. If they did not want us, then I'd have no regrets about saving those I could and letting the rest burn. If they want this city cleaned up, they need to prove they are worthy of it."

"And yet you play their game. Exactly who are you trying to humor because from where I'm sitting, it's not funny at all."

"Right now, it is necessary to gain their goodwill to be left alone, there are more of them then there are of us. However, once we have our own place, we won't be dependant on _them_ anymore." The queen replied.

"I wonder if her mother has anything to do with it..." Bruce mused to Terry.

"She probably has more influence on her dead now than she did when she was alive." replied Terry and turned back to Arianna. "Just remember you will always be tested."

"Perhaps, but in the end, they won't hold all the cards." Arianna spread her wings. "I'm going to the next site; you may follow if you want to."

"Sorry, I have a date with the thug who's trying to stand me up." he replied and activated his bat wings. "I'll be around if you need me." he stated and flew off in search of the drug dealer.

A few hours later, Arianna was doing a sweep over her territory when she suddenly swept to a halt and swore. "KnightHawk, SwiftSpy, either of you awake?" She asked into the comm unit.

"We're here." they said in union, as they usually did when Arianna inquired about them both.

"I need help, there's an intruder in our territory. Bring your arrows SwiftSpy." Arianna sounded angry.

"We're on our way." Chaos sounded angry while Max sounded really worried. Within minutes Chaos and Max came soaring to their Queen's side. Max readied an arrow and looked around. "Where are they?"

"There!" She snarled, pointing at the gang breaking into houses along the street. "Don't kill, but go for the knees."

Max did as instructed and aimed the first arrow at the largest intruder's knees. He went down and the rest spotted the three. There were only four left which meant Max took down one more while Chaos charged at the other two and faster than a blink, he broke the knees of one guy and put the other into a sleep hold, rendering the last one asleep.

The Queen stayed in the air, watching their backs. "KnightHawk, check the houses! SwiftSpy, catch!" She tossed down a coil of rope before suddenly dodging, barely escaping being shot at. "Damn, how rude of them, trying to get me in the back!" Without pause, she dove again to avoid another shot. 'Shit! I can't see where it's coming from!'

In moments, Chaos had the guy tackled. The coward hid behind a bush and was so caught up in aiming for Arianna; he didn't see that Chaos had spotted him. KnightHawk wrestled the gun from him and- with a single punch to the temple- knocked him out.

The Queen landed as the humans, seeing things were apparently safe, rushed out to make sure their saviors were all right, three of the braver ones firmly taking the Queen in hand and making her sit down before she fell. The others split, some helping SwiftSpy tie up the offenders, and helping to return the stolen goods to the shaken up family. To all appearances, the Queen looked fine and unharmed. However, her heart was pounding in fear. "Is everyone all right? Who's hurt?"

Chaos looked around to see if anyone was physically injured and was relieved to see everyone was fine. "Everyone is okay, milady." he said and knelt beside her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She replied, fighting her trembling. "It was a close call. Check my wings will you?"

Chaos ran his hands gently through the feathers and was relieved beyond reason to discover they were fine. "They're okay."

"No feathers singed?" The queen was trying to keep her teeth from chattering.

"The search is done for the night. We're going home. From now on you don't leave the house without an escort." he said icily and picked her up bridal style. "SwiftSpy, make sure they call the police, I'm taking SwanQueen home."

"Will do, fly safe."

"I can fly, I think." She said, trying to keep her composure for the humans.

"Keep the Lady safe." One of the humans said.

"Is the Angel hurt?" asked one of the children, tears in her brown eyes.

"Save your strength. The last thing they need to see if you flying unsteadily." he muttered for her to hear. He nodded at the human that spoke to him and then regarded the child. "Do not worry, little one. Angel will be just fine."

In answer, the girl went over to the guy that Chaos had dragged out from the bushes and kicked him in the stomach. "He's a bad man!"

"Valerie!" Arianna's voice was a whip, "No kicking him! He's in Very Big Trouble, so you don't have to hurt him for me."

The young girl didn't look ashamed, just stepped away from the unconscious body. "SwiftSpy will be here in case more show up. Your Queen will be resting for now." announced Chaos and with Arianna still in his arms, he jumped off the ground and flapped as hard and as fast as he could, wanting her away from any danger that could arise.

She tucked her wings in tight around her and tried to make herself as small as she could to be easier to hold. "Don't know why I had the shakes so bad back there..."

"I doubt you've ever been shot at before." he replied. "Even if you have, you didn't have wings before. Our source of flight is extremely fragile. One hole in our wings and we can kiss flying goodbye." he glanced at her. "Having the shakes after that is understandable."

"I've been shot at before, just not as closely." Sighing, she cuddled close to her pairbond for comfort. "Was Joshua asleep when you left?"

"Yes, he's attached himself to Max as well. She wouldn't have been able to make it if he was still awake."

The Queen nodded. "I see, I was worried about that..." When they landed, Arianna eyed the house. "We'll have to move... soon..." She shifted slightly. "I don't like the idea of the sheep knowing where we live."

"I know, but we can't be anything until we have the criminals out of the Viper Pit. Until then we'll have to ask Max to get security cameras from the Commissioner and set them up around out house."

"I don't want to ask for too much..." She frowned. "Junk yard diving?"

"There's only three of us, we'll have to deal with it until there's more. Besides, keeping our home safe isn't exactly a chore; it's more so expected of us."

Still unhappy, the Queen held her silence as she made as though to stand on her own, when her pairbond's arms tightened around her she frowned up at him. "KnightHawk?"

Chaos stood there for a few minutes more, eyes scanning everywhere. "There's someone here." he muttered, his body tense, waiting for someone or something to jump out of nowhere.

Arianna scanned the roof. "Put me down, you are more mobile than I am."

He did as she asked and set her on her feet but stayed close.

"I don't see anyone." She said, stepping forward warily.

"Shh..." he said quickly and held up his hand, his ears perked. Another noise to his left and he pounced, blindly tackling the person trespassing on their territory.

"Ow!" the voice was definitely male. Chaos grabbed him by his ear and tugged hard enough to make the man stop struggling. "Okay, okay! I give!" bringing him into the light where the moon shone, they saw he was probably in his mid-to-late thirties and very good looking. "Just, just let go. I have a message."

Chaos frowned and twisted his arm a little more, adrenaline and anger coursing through his veins.

"Who is this message for?" The Queen asked.

"The leader of your group. My Master says to give it to her and her only, but there must be witnesses."

She spread her white wings slightly. "Who is your master and what does he want with me?" Her voice was tight with anger.

He grinned, glad he had her full attention. "He says to not get comfortable here or anywhere. Master says that he's coming and when he does, no one is safe."

Arianna did not look at all impressed. "I'll believe that when he tells me that face to face. Pairbond, could you please knock him out and make a delivery?"

"With pleasure." he said and sneered at the man. He elbowed his temple, effectively knocking him cold. "Lock the doors." He told his queen before he was in the sky, the man held in the air by his arm. He headed straight for Gotham PD.

She went inside the house, bolted the door shut and checked on Joshua. "SwiftSpy, let me know when you are returning, I had to lock the house up, so I'll have to let you in." The Queen said in the comm unit.

"I'm on my way now. What happened?" she asked, her voice lacing with concern.

"There was a trespasser making threats. KnightHawk knocked him out and took him to the police. Joshua is safe." Still shaken, she gripped the banister and made her way back down the stairs.

"Alright. Give me five minutes and I'll be home." she said nothing more after that. True to her word, five minutes later she was knocking on the back door.

The queen was shaking slightly as she unlocked the door. "Tonight's been a bad night..." She managed.

"It could be worse." Max offered but her expression held understanding. "Let's not do that for a while."

She made her way to the couch and sank down. "He was making threats on behalf of someone called 'Master'."

"'Master'? This guy must be a coward if he can't make the threats himself."

"His exact words were: 'He says to not get comfortable here or anywhere. Master says that he's coming and when he does, no one is safe.' He also wouldn't speak to me unless there were witnesses."

"Anyone you recognize? Even slightly?"

"No, he wasn't one of ours." SwanQueen sighed. "I hope the police get something out of him..."

Max sighed and gave Arianna a reassuring hug. "I'm sure they'll find something."

The Queen felt cold to the touch. "I hope so... Somehow I can't shake the feeling that the attempted robbery and the trespasser are connected to each other."

"We won't know until the police have looked into it."

"Do you think you can rig up a security system? I'm worried about staying here with all the humans around..." The queen wrapped her wings around herself, feeling cold to the bones.

"Yeah no problem. I just need a couple cameras. Do you think you can get the Commissioner to let me see the equipment? I don't mind paying for it all if I have to."

"Yeah. I'll handle it at some point if my pairbond hasn't already-" She stopped abruptly and cocked her head. "Did you hear that?"

"Sound's like a car." said Max and went to the window.

When Max looked out the window, she saw a black Nissan drive by slowly. The window was rolled down but it was still dark outside so she couldn't get a good look at his face. The hairs on her arms and the back of her head stood on end in fear. Her gut instincts told her that whoever was in that vehicle was the one that was after them.

"SwiftSpy?" The Queen asked. When the silence continued, the Queen got to her feet. "SwiftSpy?"

Her sister could only stand frozen because as soon as she was about to turn away, the man leaned closer, letting her get a good look at his scared face. Instantly her eyes widened and she closed the curtain, gooseflesh everywhere on her body. "We have... a serious problem..."

She didn't think, she acted, walking to the window as fast as she could. "Get Joshua out of here. We aren't safe here now."

Max didn't answer, she just dashed to Arianna's room where he was sleeping. "Joshua, wake up! We have to leave!" he woke instantly and followed her to her room where she put a code on her computer and took her backup discs. She went back down after ten minutes. "Ready?"

She had two thick bags in either hand. "I told KnightHawk, he'll meet us in the forest. I packed for him and included all the traveling food we made." The Queen put them down and knelt in front of Joshua. "Honey, would you like to come with us, or would you like me to take you somewhere safe?" She asked the child gently.

"You are safe." he replied in his small voice. "I want to go with you." and then smiled for the first time since they had him, showing jus how attached he was to them.

"We are in very big trouble sweetheart. I don't know how long it will last." Tenderly, she brushed his hair out of his eyes. "It could be very dangerous."

"That's okay. My mom always said that God will save us one day. Is that day today?" he asked, his brows furrowing until another thought came into his mind and his eyes were wide and his face flushed from getting himself worked up. "You don't want me anymore?"

"Someone very bad is after us, and I'm not sure who it is or how far they will go." SwanQueen pulled the child into her arms. "You are dear to me child, I only want you safe and happy."

Max put her hand on Joshua's head. "We want you honey, but we don't want you to get hurt."

"I want to come too." he said into Arianna's shoulder. Max grinned at the sight and wished now was an appropriate time to take a picture. They truly looked like a mother and son and whether Arianna noticed it or not, she was being very much a mother to Joshua.

Cuddling with the child for a moment longer, Arianna reluctantly let go. "Take him outside. Fly safe Sister."

"Land with grace." she replied and took Joshua into her arms. She put the discs in a shoulder bag and within thirty seconds, they were airborne.

Terry was exhausted and angry. He'd spent hours searching for the one that got away from him with no luck. Bruce told him to call it a night, so he was on his way back. Suddenly seeing Max shooting through the sky with Joshua in her arms this close to sunrise, he hit the breaks

Seeing the car stop, Max immediately recognized it at Batman's car. She flew over and hovered above his car, waiting for him to open up so she could tell him what was going on.

"What's going on?" He asked after he opened the cockpit.

"There's someone after us going by the name 'Master'. Arianna's still back there and Chaos is at the police station. Please, check on her."

"Is she hurt?" Terry asked, fear slicing though him at the thought of loosing a cousin that he had learned to love despite her distance from him.

"No but there was a car that pulled up and I don't know if it's still there. She had us get some things and leave. I just went out and flew away like she said but I didn't think it would take her this long to come too."

"I'm on my way." Terry said, the tone of his voice enraged.

Sitting on a stool in the kitchen, the Nephilim Queen was calmly writing a letter and dropping a key in an envelope. Sealing it, she put it in the bag and walked back into her room one more time to be certain she hadn't forgotten anything.

Terry came rushing in. "Arianna?!" he called, forgetting he was wearing the mask.

Slipping on the shelf of the bookcase she was balancing on, the queen cursed and her mismatched eyes watered as she hit her knee. "Ow!"

Batman heard the thump and immediately ran down the hall until he got to her room. "Jesus Arianna, how many times have I told you not to climb at things you can't reach?"

Folding her wings for better balance, she shook her head as though to clear it. "Terry?" She questioned, not trusting her senses. The source of her search, a thick hardcover black book the thickness of two bricks lay on the floor. There was a lock on it as though it was a diary. Readjusting her hold, she slowly climbed down.

In surprise, Batman froze, realizing the mistake he made. Instead, he said nothing and picked her up. "How hurt are you? Can you walk?"

"Just slightly dizzy, thought I heard Terry yelling at me. I dropped the book and it hit my head the same time I hit my knee. Just give me a second..."

"Never mind that, I'll fly you to the forest. I spoke to Max. There's a car parked outside your house. I don't trust you alone."

"He's _still_ there?!" The Queen looked outraged even as her cheeks took on a green tinge. "How _dare_ he?!" She made as though to stand on her own two feet, her body tense with rage.

"No! You'll only hurt yourself more." he picked her up bridal style and went out the back way. From there he was able to get to his Batmobile without being obvious to the man in the car. He set her down and opened the door. "Get in."

"My bags and my Book?" She asked.

"I'll go back for them."

Without protest, she sat in the back, rubbing her aching head.

Terry quickly ran in, grabbed her things and ran back out in time to see a man get out of the car's back seat. He jumped in his Batmobile and took to the air.

"The house is safe, I have the key. I'll return it tomorrow." She said quietly. "There is nothing in there that is of any use. That's why I stayed behind so long."

"You made Max worry. I may not know much about flying, but I do know that anxiety isn't probably the best to have while flying with a five year old in your arms."

"It couldn't be helped. I had to cover our tracks. Joshua had to be taken to safety, and my Sister was the only one who was strong enough to carry him."

Batman sighed. "You could have gotten hurt. Look at how delicate you are. You dropped a couple books and fell and you probably would have had trouble flying."

"Hey! It was only one book, and I wouldn't have _gotten_ hurt if you hadn't made me loose my footing." The queen glared at him from behind. "I've flown in worse shape before. Once I'm in the air, my knee wouldn't have mattered."

"I wouldn't have made you loose your footing if you hadn't tried to reach something you obviously couldn't reach." he sighed and muttered under his breath for a moment. "Besides, it's getting into the air that would be the problem."

"I'm a plummeter, not a runner like the others. All I have to do fall." She shrugged, "Land outside the forest, I'll walk from there. I don't want to risk getting tailed."

"We're not being tailed." he replied and pointed to the device he looked at every so often. "That would flash red and I'd see the car behind us."

"You won't be able to land in there. There are too many trees." The queen pointed out.

"I'll give you a piggy back ride. Terry said you used to like those."

"Terry talks too much." Arianna muttered.

Batman chuckled. "He means well."

"You sound like you've known each other your whole lives."

"You could say that..." he grinned behind his mask. "After all, he does know who I am."

The Nephilim Queen shifted on her bench, hugging the heavy book to her chest, but said nothing.

"Maybe one day I'll let you know who I am. Terry thinks it'll be too dangerous but I think you should know." he continued. He was speaking from the side that wished he could show Arianna he was Terry behind the mask.

She frowned and folded her wings. 'Wouldn't that be overstepping boundaries?"

"Some say it would, others not so much. Not when you know me already." In a way, knowing that she'd be racking her brain for the next while amused him, in another, it made him feel bad because she probably wouldn't get it unless she was purposely trying to figure it out. And he already knew she had far too much on her mind to be worrying about who was behind the mask.

"A riddle for another night." The Queen said firmly, stretching out her leg and hissing softly as she probed her kneecap.

"Yep. A good one too." he then stopped just short of the forest and opened the hatch. He got out and held out his hand for her. If you carry your things, I'll give you a ride on my back. You shouldn't walk on a hurt knee; it'll only make it worse."

She placed the book very carefully in one of the bags. "Can you carry these and me at the same time?" Arianna frowned. "If I ride, I can hang on to you while you carry them."

"Sure." he took the bag in one hand and bent down so she could get on his back. Once one, he put one hand under her so she wouldn't fall while the other held the bag. "Just direct me and I'll find my way." He said before picking up the other bag.

Arianna wrapped both arms and legs around him to support herself while spreading her wings slightly for better balance. "Straight to the caves, then go right until you reach the stone slab, then left until you see firelight."

Batman nodded and made his way to the fire following her directions. "What made you think of all the way out here?"

"After I was reborn I lived out here with mother for two weeks while she taught me how to hunt prey larger than rabbits. It's as far away from the humans as I can think of without entirely abandoning the city."

"Good choice." he said and soon he found the fire with Max and Joshua sitting around it. He set Arianna down so she could greet them and put the backpacks beside Joshua's small body.

The Queen looked anxious as she looked around even as the boy leapt in her arms. "Knighthawk?" She asked. "He should have met you here already and had the fire going for the two of you."

"He hasn't shown up yet. I tried him on his comm but he's not answering."

The Nephilim Queen's body stiffened, and she gently unwound herself from Joshua's embrace. "Both of you stay here. That is an order sister."

"Just wait five more minutes." Max pleaded.

"Well hold on a second. I know this is a Nephilim problem but until you know what you're dealing with, you of all people are the last to dive in headfirst. I'll go look for him, you stay here and if I see anything, I'll contact you." He held out his hand to Max for her comm. The brown haired teen looked to her Queen, silently telling her he was right.

"It's nearly dawn." Arianna replied, reminding him that he couldn't afford crossing this life and his personal life.

Batman shrugged. "I'm needed. My personal life will have to wait won't it?" he said. "I know you love him..." he cleared his throat. "But if something happens to you, how do you expect Max and Joshua to survive?"

Seeing the truth in this, she snarled softly. "You better stay in contact with me." The Queen warned. "You have three hours."

"No worries." he grabbed Max's comm and put it in his ear. "I'll be back with him." he promised and ran back to his batmobile. Getting in, he sped to the police station.

Joshua clung to Arianna's leg and looked up at her. He didn't understand quite what was going on, but he did know that she was very upset and said the only thing he could think of. It was what his mother used to tell him before she left him. "It will be okay."

Sitting back down, Arianna hugged the child and looked at Max. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"It's okay. Just had the two of us really worried about you. I don't know what I would do without you and I didn't fully realize that until tonight."

"I was making sure we didn't leave anything behind that could be used against us." The Queen rubbed her head. "And yelling at myself for letting us stay in one place so long."

"If there's a next time no one leaves unless we're all together." replied Max and sighed.

Meanwhile, Batman finally came to the police station and rushed in to find the Commissioner. "Hey, have you seen Chaos?" he asked. When she gave him a raised eyebrow and sighed. "Guy about my height, wings, hard to miss."

"Oh, him, yeah he was here. He dropped off Jimmy Crane. Why, what's wrong?"

"He's missing."

Barbra frowned at that. "He left thirty minutes ago."

Batman ran back out after Barbra pointed him in the direction he flew. "Arianna, he's missing. Barbra said he left the station thirty minutes ago. I'm going to make a sweep of the city and see if I can find him." He said into the comm unit.

The Nephilim Queen snarled loudly. "Check the house just in case." From her dangerously flashing eyes, she wanted badly to curse but couldn't because Joshua was sleeping. To her Sister, she shook her head, telling Max the worst.

Max's eyes clouded over with worry. Over the past few weeks, the three of them had become extremely close, just like family. She whispered the words "find him" and closed her eyes, the knots in her stomach making her feel nauseous.

"Alright. I'll contact again if I find anything." he replied and from the comm Arianna could hear his car wheels screech.

Surging to her feet, Arianna began to circle the fireplace. "If he is hurt, there will be war." She promised darkly.

Batman sped to the house and when he got there, the windows were smashed and furniture was strewn everywhere. He got out and cautiously went to the door. Seeing no one moving inside, he called Chaos' name but there was no answer. Kicking the door in frustration, Batman went to his car and noticed a trail of black feathers. Chaos' feathers. Following the trail to behind the house, Batman feared the worst.

He got around to the backyard and when he saw Chaos face first in the dirt, he cursed and lifted him over his shoulder. The journey back to his mobile was a long one since Chaos was so heavy but when he finally got there and set Chaos in the backseat, he quickly checked for injuries. He found nothing... which was odd. Why would Chaos be face first in the backyard? It took a moment but then he realized the danger: this was a setup. As if on cue, five cars surrounded him. Narrowing his eyes, he got in and closed the hatch. He put his thrusters on and pushed on the gas, making his car shoot over the car in front of him. "I got him. It was a setup." he said into his comm, turning sharp corners to try to loose the guys in the cars.

"Is he all right?" The Queen demanded

"He was unconscious. Still is...." he stopped talking to make another hard turn, effectively causing two of the cars to crash, stalling the other three. "As far as I could tell he wasn't hurt, just knocked out. It was a set up though. As soon as I got him in the car, five other cars showed up. I'm trying to loose them now."

"Don't return here until they are gone, I'll have the med kit ready." As she spoke, the queen was already unzipping her bag.

"I know. Three more left." he said and sped onto the highway toward Metropolis. "Might be a while..." he muttered and swerved in and out of traffic, effectively loosing two of them but the last one was good. Before he left Gotham completely, he turned back onto the bridge and sped off towards Wayne's mansion. The car was still behind him and he sighed. "Alright, time to play dirty." he said and pressed a button that allowed a dart machine to reveal itself. Pressing the button again, the darts flew right into the wheels, making them pop and the car skid uncontrollably on the road before it came to a stop. Satisfied but nowhere near happy, Batman sped off even faster, checking his tracking device periodically to make sure he wasn't being followed and went back towards the forest. "On the way."

When they got there, Arianna had built up the fire and prepared a place for her pairbond to rest, though _she_ clearly hadn't slept at all. "Put him there facedown so that I can check his wings, SwiftSpy, hold his head. I don't want him to suffocate while I examine him."

Max did as she was instructed and kept a gentle finger on his pulse to make sure he didn't stop breathing. "Thank you." she said to Batman. He nodded and handed her back the comm. "No problem. If you need me you know how to reach me." he told her and left for his batmobile.

Kneeling by her pairbond's side, she ran tender hands though her lover's feathers, then swore violently. "Batman, if any of them are alive..."

Batman stopped momentarily to look back at her. "We'll get them." he said before going out of sight to drive home before his mother noticed his absence.

Max raised an eyebrow at her Queen's unusually harsh language. "Perhaps we should come up with a new language soon. We can't have kids learning human swearwords." she commented.

"I'll add that to my growing list... He'll live, but..." She looked enraged. "They pulled out some of his feathers."

Max's eyes widened. "Will he be able to fly?" she asked, knowing that if they couldn't fly, there might as well not be Nephilim.

"I don't know yet." The Queen answered grimly. "It all depends on if they will grow back. Not many were pulled, but..."

Max sighed but nodded. "All we can do is wait then." she said it impatiently.

"He seems all right otherwise, he wasn't cut or hurt in any other way that I can see..." As she spoke, the queen tenderly washed him as best she could.

"What do you mean they got away?!" yelled a man in his late forties. He had blonde hair, blue eyes and a build that put Batman to shame. The only thing that made him stand out was the scar on his face. "Your instructions were to kidnap them all!"

"Sorry boss! Batman showed up and-"

"Batman is one man!" he snarled and kicked his chair, sending it spiraling into the wall. "Find them. I want them found and brought to me. Kill the Bat if he gets in your way."

"Yes sir!" they saluted him and filing out of the room.

His second in command raised his eyebrow. "The house was cleared out. It appears that they fled just as Batman showed up."

The boss glared at him. "I want them found. Now. I don't care what it takes."

"Why are you so worried about them?" His second asked. "They had to have left the city by now!"

He pulled out his gun and pointed it at him. "You may be my second in command, but defy me and ask questions, I won't hesitate to shoot."

Narrowing his eyes, his second just left the room without another word

Sighing out of frustration, he _almost_ felt bad for taking it out on his top man... almost. The Queen made a narrow escape... a lucky one, but next time she wouldn't be so lucky. Next time, he'd get her and her two accomplices. His eyes darkened. "I will have you in my clutches Queen." He whispered softly.


	13. Allies in strange places

Author's note: Thanks to inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter and I'm sorry that the wait was so long! I've been having family and health issues. Please enjoy the chapter and remember to review!

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A few days later, when her pairbond was stronger, the Nephilim Queen left the forest and flew to Wayne manor. Landing beyond the front porch, she left an envelope where the elderly man could reach it easily and turned to go. The young Queen was unaware that she had accidentally tripped an intruder alarm and was being watched.

"Stop where you are." he said through a speaker. The doors opened, sending her an invitation to come in.

Hesitating, her sweet face looked unsure before the Queen politely retrieved the envelope and accepted the invitation. From her rumpled clothes and slightly pinched look on her face, she had not intended a face-to-face meeting today.

Bruce met her in the main lobby, a hard, sour look on his face. His cane thumped, indicating he was in one bad mood and was doing everything not to show it.

"I apologize for the intrusion sir. I only came to give you this." She said quietly.

He took the envelope and felt the key inside. He gave her a hard look before he softened his features for her benefit and turned. "Tea?"

Pausing, the queen considered this before nodding. "Thank you very much."

Bruce said nothing as he brought out two tea bags and put one in a mug each. He poured steaming water into them and handed Arianna one. He took his bag out almost instantly, not liking his tea strong. "How's your boyfriend?" he asked.

Arianna graciously took the proffered cup, but let hers seep, gently moving the bag within the cup. "My husband will recover." She said quietly, not wanting to say too much.

"Good." he replied and looked at her. "So what now?" he put his cup down and watched the steam for a while.

"Would you happen to have a spare lab?" She asked tiredly. "Preferably one that no one uses."

Bruce raised a brow. "What would you need it for?"

"I'm deciphering my mother's notes; I know that her formula is in there. Once found, I'll need to replicate it."

"I see..." he paused for a moment, contemplating his options. "What's your plan once you have more of you?"

"Clean out the place you call the Narrows and make it our home."

By the look on his face, he had doubts that they could do it but he gave them the benefit of the doubt. "There's a lab in the basement no one uses at the end of the hall."

The Queen looked startled and paused with the untouched tea halfway to her mouth before putting it down again without drinking it. "In your home?" she asked.

"Yes. You would be putting hundreds of my employees lives at risk once your mission starts. I won't have their lost lives on my shoulders." he motioned for her to follow him.

She followed him quietly. "And your life?"

"Mine's not as valuable as it once was." he replied and took her to a locked door at the end of the hall, passed the rooms with museum artifacts. "If you decide to use this, I'll have keys made for you, Max and Chaos only. I get to keep this one." he said and opened the door. He stepped inside and turned on the lights. Everything from test tubes to the computers were updated to the latest in technology. The only thing to keep the room company was a thick coat of dust.

"Knowledge is power, do not sell yourself short." The queen said gently, drawing her wings tightly around herself as she carefully paced the room her lips moving soundlessly, but careful to touch nothing.

Bruce's mood and look softened but he said nothing. Instead, he cleared his throat and turned to the door. "I'll leave you to look around. Let me know when you leave."

"I'll finish my tea first, but I must return. Is there a time that we are not welcome here? I would like for the three of us to clean the lab ourselves. Will you be poking around here as well?"

"No. What you do is your business but if I catch wind of something suspicious going on then I will check things out. As for your not welcome, there shouldn't be a time for that. Just know that Batman comes here a lot so you'll run into him often."

She raised an eyebrow, but decided not to ask anything as she resumed her seat and reached again for her tea.

Bruce left the Queen to herself and put Batman on the comm. "I'm letting Arianna and her people use the lab."

"What?! What do you mean the lab? The lab as in the batcave?"

"No you idiot, the lab as in the room no one ever goes in. You've never been down there so I don't expect you to know what I'm talking about. Where are you?" he asked.

"Just passing the Narrows. Arianna's gunna have a hell of a time cleaning that place up."

"I know, but it has to be done. Let me know when you find out anything more about the Johnny case. I won't go to the cave until she's gone."

"No problem, I can handle things from here."

Meanwhile, the Queen was on her own comm. "Everything's all right, I returned the key. Mr. Wayne appears to be an ally; he actually has a lab in his house that he's offered to us." She sounded exhausted. "We need this, I haven't found anything better."

"That's great honey, but you need to come back home and rest. You've been up for hours without sleep." said Chaos.

"He's right, SwanQueen. If you don't sleep soon you'll crash."

Arianna yawned. "I'll be on my way shortly darlings. Are you all right KnightHawk?"

"I will be when you're here and I know you're safe."

His mate closed her tired eyes. "I love you too." Then she went to say goodbye to Bruce so that she could head back to camp.

Curiosity always killed the cat and whether or not Laura was going to die from it, seemed to be of no concern as she trekked through the cleaner streets of the Nephilim territory. She was warned about going there but did she listen? No. Because Laura didn't listened to anyone she didn't respect. And she sure as hell didn't respect anyone she knew at the moment.

Five minutes of walking through the streets and already she spotted a crowd near a raised dais. "What's going on?" she asked one old woman as she neared.

"The Nephilim Queen hasn't been back here since she was hurt three days ago. Usually we'd call her if we need her but... we all fear the worst has happened."

Laura was a smart girl and looking from the crowd to the rusty old bell in the middle of the large dais, she figured they'd ring and she'd come: much like the Adam's Family concept.

"I'll ring for her." she offered, curious herself as to whether or not Arianna was okay.

Everyone stared at her as she reached the bell but she paid no heed. Her reddish-brown covered her face for a moment as she bent down to get the bell. Her green eyes sparkled as the thrill of what might happen if someone like her rung for the mighty Queen.

She waited a beat and with a flick of her wrist, rang the bell.

In the sky, the Queen hesitated when she hear the unfamiliar sound and looked at her sister. "That is new... I did not think that old bell actually worked. Shall we go down? Or would you rather head back to base to look after the others? I will join you later."

Max hesitated slightly. "I don't think you should go alone."

The brunette nodded. "Very well, keep alert SwiftSpy." With that said, she folded her wings and plummeted towards the earth, leveling out at midway to allow a neat- if painful- landing on the platform a few minutes later.

As soon as Arianna landed, Max followed, a layer of dust billowing as soon as Arianna's resided. Max peered over Arianna's shoulder to see what was going on and when she saw a brown haired teen about her age, she frowned but said nothing, just had her bow and arrow ready in case she had to attack.

The old woman tottered forwards. "We were worried about your safety milady. Are you well?

Arianna's expression softened immediately. "Samantha, I apologize for making all of you worry. It has been a... trying... few days." Her voice sounded quiet, but carried to the back of the crowd. The queen folded her wings to hide that fact that she was thinner than usual from not eating as she should be.

Laura stepped forward to put the bell back where she found. "I'm glad you're doing well." she smiled and stepped down.

Blinking, she frowned slightly at Laura. "I haven't seen you here before. Do you live in this territory?"

"No. I was walking around and upon your territory. I found this crowd and... dinged." she gave Arianna a nervous smile. "Didn't mean to intrude."

Nodding slightly, the queen stepped down from the platform with Max's assistance. "Does anyone have anything to report or need anything?" She asked, making herself part of the crowd, though the humans were careful not to crowd too close.

A man in tattered clothing spoke up. 'No one's heard anything, mi'lady. That's why we were so worried." he held a two year old in his arms with no woman around close enough to be called wife or mother to either of them. Laura felt bad for them. For everyone because it was clear that although this part of town wasn't the bad part, it was the poorer side of Gotham.

"Carl, why didn't you say something to me sooner?" The Queen walked over to him. "It's too cold out here to be wearing a coat that torn!" As she gently scolded the man, she took the child and cooed softly to him.

"You have enough on your mind, milady, to be worrying over me." he said sheepishly.

Max scanned the crowd, her eyes narrowing on the girl called Laura. She was making her way towards the Queen. "Stop right where you are!" yelled Max, making Laura jump at the tone and volume. She spun around to face the tanned girl and was utterly shocked to find her ready to strike her with her weapon.

Laura narrowed her own eyes. "I'm no threat; you can put your weapon down or shoot me for no reason at all."

Turning, Arianna held the child protectively as she raised her eyebrow in question at SwiftSpy. "Sister?"

"I don't know her. She doesn't belong here. How do you know she's not a spy for the people who are after us?" asked Max.

Laura's temper flared and an icy look formed in her gaze. "Say that again." she challenged and took a step forward.

Max looked her dead in the eyes but her arrow never wavered. "You heard me." she hissed. "You could be a spy."

Laura turned her lethal gaze to Arianna and hissed. "Tame her before she shoots an innocent person."

Giving the boy back to his father, she told Carl not to move, for she hadn't finished with him yet. Free to handle this issue she walked over to SwiftSpy and laid a reassuring hand on her arm. "It's all right; she was the one who helped me in that fight at school when I retrieved our things." The Queen said quietly.

Max remained tense for a moment; her arrow still trained on Laura's heart until she took a deep breath and lowered her weapon. "Sorry, SwanQueen. I'm on edge." she muttered so only Arianna could hear.

Laura didn't smile, she just tightened her jaw and raised her head, her eyes staying on Max's for a moment more before removing her gaze to the crowd that was watching and back at Arianna. "Thank you, Angel." she said and allowed a small smile to grace her lips.

Samantha poked Laura in the back with her stick. "That's Milady Angel to you miss!" She corrected.

The Queen's lips twitched in a smile as she nodded politely to them both.

Laura turned and frowned at Samantha. "What does it matter?"

Old lady Samantha eyed Laura, making sure that the Nephilim Queen- who had returned to scolding Carl- was out of earshot. "She is the one who helps us when no one else cares. The Lady takes it upon herself to feed our children and make sure we have whatever we need. What little she has, she shares with us, and never refuses whatever gifts we give her in return."

"She's not _my_ lady." Laura returned, but her look softened. "But I do understand where you're coming from."

"No, she is not yours, but you are in her territory so it's only right to act respectful." Samantha agreed.

"I did. I called her Angel like she said I should." she decided to change the subject. "Do you live with anyone?"

"My son and my daughter live in the better part of town, they wanted to put me in an old folks home, but I said no."

"You live by yourself?" her eyebrows rose and for a moment, she felt her heart reach out to this old woman. The woman could very clearly take out a thug if she had to; but she was ultimately vulnerable and Laura had been put in that position one too many times to know that when you're vulnerable, you don't want anyone to know, but you want them to understand. Laura hesitantly put a hand on Samantha's over her cane and smiled.

"The Lady keeps me company once or twice a week, how she finds time, I don't know. Mayor might have stopped gunning for her, but the rich folks... that's another story. She's no friend to them!"

"Yeah... the rich guys always think they're bad ass." she commented and took her hand off Samantha's. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries. "No one from here comes to see you?"

"I more or less keep an eye on things around here and make note on what is needed. Babysit and the like. We all work together around here; no one goes without for long if it can be helped."

Laura nodded. "That's very sweet of you. Do you miss them? Your children, I mean."

"No, I did the best I could to raise them, it's time they live their own lives now." The old woman answered turning slightly to watch the Queen move from group to group, occasionally taking notes. "I wish they had learned a little more, but that is in the past."

Laura said nothing and watched Arianna as well. She handled every situation amazingly. It was clear, even from this distance, that Arianna loved her people like a true Queen would. It made her think about how her life would be if she was part of hers. As a Nephilim. She didn't know all the risks but she wanted to help these people too. They were all poor and tried to look their best but it was clear fresh running water wasn't always an option for them.

Her gaze then returned to Max, who was doing the same thing but she was taking down notes from the teenagers. Max raised her head and for a moment midnight brown met forest green.

She looked away first, making it clear she still didn't trust her completely.

When the Queen made three complete rounds for each group, she walked back over to Samantha. "I will come again as soon as I can with as much as I can, I'm sorry that I don't have anything tonight." She truly sounded apologetic.

Samantha smiled, softening her weathered face. She put a hand on Arianna's. "Don't you worry mi'lady. No one's upset with you. We're all just relieved you're okay."

Carefully, the young Queen hugged the other woman gently. "Please ring the bell again if there's something that is needed right away. Try not to ring it too often; I don't want the children getting hurt if the bell breaks."

Samantha hugged back, holding back tears. "Not to worry. We'll only ring when we absolutely need you."

Letting go, the Queen bowed slightly and turned to climb a ladder that was left beside one of the buildings for her use to perch on the roof, watching the others carefully as they returned to their homes.

Max followed suit, giving Laura one last hard look before the two were off. Laura said her farewell to Samantha and followed the two Nephilim women until she got to the entrance to the forest. She took one step forward but decided against it. It was like going into someone's home uninvited. She turned and walked back towards her home.

Before going back to the campsite, Arianna landed by the flat rock, swearing in a fury as she paced in a circle. She'd been hiding her anger all night.

Max followed her down. "Are you alright?"

"I can't _believe_ I waited so long!" The Queen said bitterly. "_How_ could I have missed that?!"

Max put a hand on her shoulder. "Your pairbond needed you. You can't beat yourself up for that."

She sighed bitterly. "I know SwiftSpy... I know." The Queen stroked her braid nervously. "Just so much to do..."

"I know. We need more of us. We can try to do everything ourselves but there's just not enough time during the day to complete it all."

"I'm not my mother, Max." Arianna said suddenly. "I don't know if I can replicate the formula, I have no idea how she did it."

"We'll figure it out. We just need a scientist. I can help with some of the technicalities but I'm not good with chemicals. How much do you have left?"

"Of the original six I have four vials left." The queen leaned against the tree next to her, wanting only to sleep.

"So then we need at least one more fighter, a scientist and a doctor. The last one can be saved to help us replicate more." said Max. Her gaze landed on Arianna's face, now just noticing how sullen her cheeks looked. "Have you been eating?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in barely contained temper.

"Yes I have, KnightHawk fusses if I don't eat when he does." The Queen answered.

"Why do you look like you haven't?"

"That's because I've been eating human food too, vegetables. Remember my Type?"

Max stared at her for a moment but said nothing. She turned her head, her eyes burning into the trees around them, trying and failing to seek out anyone who might have followed them. "You trust Laura?"

"I don't think she means any harm, though I don't know her very well." The Queen admitted.

"She could be a spy. Sure she helped you at school but what if gaining your trust is part of her plan?"

"There is truth to that." Arianna sighed. "Still, why would she stand up to the crowd, she was outnumbered and they were _pissed_."

Feeling annoyed, Max's jaw clenched. "I don't know. How much do you know about her? Does she know martial arts or something? If she was good at it she might have entertained thoughts of being able to take on the crowd."

"Nothing sister, I'd only met her twice, tonight was the second time."

Max's fist clenched. She wanted to yell 'exactly', but she held fast onto her temper and took a few deep breaths before turning back to her queen. "What now?"

"I'm going to rejoin my mate, eat what he gives me, and nap with Joshua. I'll start shadowing her just to be safe, so I'll catch up on my sleep tonight." The Queen yawned

"Good." Max muttered and held out a hand for her to take so she could help her up.

Letting SwiftSpy help her up, she walked to the campsite. "We are back!"

The very next night, true to her word, the Queen started to shadow Laura while SwiftSpy and Knighthawk were watching Joshua and going over the lists of what still needed to be done. They had also begun teaching Joshua self defense. Absently, she chewed on a strip of rabbit jerky as she tailed the woman, flying high so as not to be spotted, which would have defeated the whole purpose.

Laura was making her way back from school by foot. Usually she drove her car but it was in the shop and had to make the forty-five minute trek home by foot. Her bag was heavy with books she needed to study with. From afar, it looked as if she walked with purpose. Up close, it was clear she was lost in her own thoughts. The red highlights of her hair shone from the setting sun as she turned her head to look both ways across the street before crossing at each cross walk. Ever since the night before she couldn't get the old woman out of her mind. The vulnerability she saw in her eyes when she spoke of how lonely she was had not been not lost on Laura. She pitied Samantha... all of them really. It made her want to do something for them but she wasn't sure what. She wasn't sure if they would accept an 'outsiders' help and fear of being rejected by doing the right thing, held her back from making another trip there today.

She also couldn't believe that Angel's accomplice hated her. She didn't _do_ anything and yet the hatred in Max's eyes was unmistakable.

Coming out of her reverie for a moment, she noticed she was at her house already. Quickly she put her bag in her home and went back out, leaving the door unlocked since her parents were already home. She had a steady pace as she walked towards the bad part of town, in other words known as the Narrows.

Frowning, the Queen paused. What was Laura doing heading to the place the humans called 'Narrows'?

Laura's head was held high as she passed a few thugs that thankfully were too busy making drug deals to notice her. After a few minutes, she came to a rundown apartment building. She looked back to make sure she wasn't being followed before entering. She didn't have to go up any levels because the door she needed was at the end of the hall where the windows faced the trash cans and a small yard.

The queen landed in the backyard, careful to stay in the shadows and away from the windows. Laura had a home... so, again, what was she doing here? Craning her head, Arianna wondered if she could risk looking in the window.

Laura was greeted at the door by a woman in her late thirties. "Hey, what are you doing here?" asked the woman.

She had the same red hair and bone structure as Laura. "I've come to ask a favor."

The woman snorted but stepped aside to let her through. "What is it this time? Your mother can't take you to the fair this year?"

"That was five years ago." the woman shrugged like it was nothing.

"I'd offer you coffee or something but I'm a little broke right now. The cops are on my boss' tail so I can't go out as much as I used to, you know?"

"I know." Laura reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. "It's not much, but it'll at least last you two weeks."

"Two weeks?" the woman raised an eyebrow. "You old man used to give me money that lasted for months."

"This isn't coming from his pocket this time."

"Yours?" when Laura said nothing, the older lady pocketed the cash in her tight jeans.

"Thanks."

"It doesn't come without a price." said Laura.

"Of course. You're an awful lot like my boss when it comes to bargaining. You sure you don't wanna have a chat with him?"

Laura only gave her a tight smile that made it clear she wasn't going to change her mind. "The cash will keep coming in, if and if only, you get yourself out of here."

"And go where, pumpkin?" the woman asked sarcastically.

"You have a PhD, where the hell do you think? Start working at a clinic, a hospital. Anything! You don't belong on this side of town Aunt Tory."

Tory looked away, a sad smile on her face. "It's not as easy as it sounds."

"Well figure something out. You're a smart woman." Laura hissed and went into her pocket again. "Here's an extra hundred. Use it to clean yourself up and get your ass out of here. You know you're always welcome at home."

"Your mom made it clear the last time I saw her she didn't want to see me."

"Your family, as far as I'm concerned, that argument never happened." with that, the seventeen year old left the apartment building.

Arianna frowned. A doctor? Could she take the older one into the fold? Shaking herself out of her thoughts, the Queen climbed a tree and used it to take off. Gliding quickly out of sight, she continued to follow Laura.

It took Laura ten minutes to get to the border between the Narrows and the good part of the city. All she had to do was turn one more corner and she'd be home free. It was her misfortune however, when three thugs, each one bigger than the other, stopped her.

"Well hello there, doll face." said the smallest one.

"Look, I don't really have time to play." she said but the tone her voice suggested she was indeed scared for her life and at the very least her virtue.

The three laughed at her, the biggest one putting a hand on her wrist. "You're coming with us." Laura stood her ground and faster than the big man could comprehend, Laura freed her wrist by pulling her wrist closer to her body and twisting, effectively breaking the grip. Quickly, and kicked his knee, popping it in and making him fall.

Now knowing there was no way she was going to get out of this alive by just running, she went for the second biggest man. As he lunged at her, she side stepped and elbowed him in the ribs. She put a foot behind him, and as she swept his feet from the ground she pulled him backwards, effectively making him fall on his head with a thud.

Her gaze landed on the smaller one then.

He looked as if he was going to attack until she stepped forward. He held up his hands and bailed in the other direction, deeper into the Narrows. Laura took a deep breath before running as well, making sure she was out of the Narrows and then some. She found herself running in no particular direction, just somewhere she felt safe. She let her feet guide her and within minutes she was in Arianna's territory. She passed the houses, not wanting to have any interaction with them at all, and ran straight to the forest. She had no idea where she was going but made turns, unknowingly just missing Arianna's campsite and came to a clearing. Laura shivered and sat down with her knees drawn up and just watched the darkening sky.

"That was very foolish you know." Arianna said, perching in the tree above Laura. "You are very lucky I was on watch tonight."

Laura spun around, barely containing a yelp of surprise. "What?"

"It was my turn to fly over the place you call the 'Narrows' tonight, I noticed the fight and was on standby."

"Oh... well, what would you have had me do? Go with them? Something tells me they weren't looking to play snakes and ladders."

"You handled yourself very well. Still, that place is going to be very dangerous for a while."

"I needed to see someone... but thank you." she gave Arianna a smile. "This place is very calming."

"It's safe for us, for now anyways." The queen shrugged and climbed down the other side of the tree.

"Of all the people in Gotham," Laura started, turning her head to watch the stars again. "Why protect the poor?"

"They have no one." The Queen said simply. "The ones who can help ignore them, or worse, shove pity down their throats." Arianna frowned. "People think that a day or two of charity is enough, some of them honestly mean well, others do it for their own gain."

"Are you saying that if someone like me were to try and help them they wouldn't like it? Because they'd see it as pity instead of someone just wanting to help?"

"That would depend on how it's done. When you are poor, the only thing you really have left is your pride." The brunette looked to the heavens as well. "I've protected them since I was reborn, so they know me."

"Point noted." she replied and stayed silent a moment. "The one you called sister. I do believe her name was Max when she was in school... why does she hate me so much?"

"She is very protective of me. I was nearly killed twice four days ago. My pairbond was also hurt and we had to move to the forest because it wasn't safe to stay where we were hiding."

"So that gives her justification to hate my guts?"

"We know every person in our territory by sight, if not by name. When you were not introduced to us, she took it as you were an intruder." The Queen shrugged. "More than one person had stirred up trouble and hurt those under us to draw us out."

Laura said nothing but narrowed her eyes and exhaled. "Why were you following me anyways?"

"I wasn't following you." She replied calmly. "I was scouting the area."

"In the Narrows? It's not your territory."

"That's a private matter, an agreement with the humans."

For a moment, Laura said nothing. "What's it like?" she asked, glancing at Arianna. "Being a Nephilim?"

"It gave me freedom, but like all things, it didn't come without a heavy price." Arianna leaned against the tree but didn't sit. "I gave away everything that connected me to humans the night my creator was killed." A slight smile crossed her face. "I can protect and guide, but I can never be one of them again."

"That's a given. You have wings now. You're anything but 'normal' by 'human' standards."

"I wasn't normal as a human before I was reborn either. At least in this form I can be useful." Suddenly the queen straightened. "You should go, it's late."

"I don't want to leave yet." said Laura. "It's nice here."

"You are too close to our current camp, and my mate is not in a humorous-" She broke off mid-word as her dark pairbond approached, noting how his icy eyes flashed. "Pairbond?" She said, stepping away from the tree and into the moonlight so KnightHawk could see she wasn't harmed.

KnightHawk's gaze was less than friendly as he bore into his pairbond's eyes before flicking over Laura's. So, this was the girl Max was telling him about. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You were in the Viper Pit." he stated. "I can smell the drugs and sickly aura off of you." he said, his tone full of anger. "I told you not to go there alone. It's too dangerous."

"I had to check on a few things." She said vaguely, not wanting to get specific with a human standing there. "I flew high and no one saw me." Still, not liking the possessive look in her lover's slightly eyes, she tucked her white wings in closer to her in quiet submission to let him embrace her with his wings. "You should be resting my love."

Chaos took her into his arms. "I cannot rest with you out and about like this. It worries me." he said softly for only her ears. "Is the girl leaving?" he asked, glaring daggers at Laura.

Laura, knowing when she wasn't welcome, stood and brushed the dirt from her pants. "Don't get your feathers in a tiff." she said with an edge to her voice. "It was nice talking to you Angel and thank you." she said before turning around and making her way back out of the forest to head home.

"I'll escort her home, it's not safe at night." She told her mate before he could bristle at the lack of title. The queen kissed her mate lightly. "I won't make any sidetrips."

His jaw clenched, wanting to tell her no, it wasn't safe but that wouldn't be fair to her. He sighed and nodded. "Alright. You have thirty minutes before I call you."

Kissing him again, the queen quickly caught up to Laura.

Laura raised a brow. "He's actually letting you take me home? You don't have to you know. I can't take care of myself."

"My mate and sister are still young for Nephilim. They haven't yet made peace with the bitterness yet." Arianna replied. "If you fear for your loved one, tell them that they may seek sanctuary in my territory if they wish to."

"My Aunt?" she asked, her eyes wide for a moment. "Really?" she stopped walking.

"As long as she shows us the proper respect yes. If she has a particular skill, than she'll be more than welcome."

"She's got a PhD but... she's..." she looked away and sighed. "She got in too deep in debt and makes money now by... whoring herself. It was the only way to make big bucks fast apparently but now it's really hard for her to get out of it."

Stopping, the Queen considered this with a frown. "A PhD in what exactly?"

"Doctor and surgeon. She can perfect both since she was in the top ten of her class."

A determined look suddenly hardened the Nephilim Queen's face. "I can promise nothing, but if she's willing, some arrangement can be made."

Laura smiled at Arianna with gratitude. "Thank you. I'll see her tomorrow and run it by her."

"Feel her out first, if she hates Nephilim..." Arianna left it hanging.

"I actually have no idea what she thinks of it." said Laura thoughtfully. "Don't worry, I'll talk to her."

When they reached the edge of the forest, Arianna climbed a tree to take flight, ending the conversation and leaving Laura to her thoughts.

After a fight between the Queen and the others of her family that lasted most the night upon her return back to camp, Arianna flew back the next day to the same apartment that Laura had went to. They were not happy but the bottom line was that the aunt was a doctor and they had all agreed that this was something that they could not afford to pass up.

Tory's window was open, effectively letting in cool air that smelt of rotting trash and stale drugs, but it was the best she had right now. Her niece had come by earlier that day and presented the idea of her living in the Nephilim territory and perhaps even working for them.

At first, she was skeptical. Why would a Queen want a whore on her side? But then she got thinking that maybe this was an opportunity for a second chance. One that she had passed up on, on more than one occasion but it couldn't hurt to test the waters first to see where this Angel girl was coming from.

She had never really given their race much thought so she didn't hate them, but she didn't love them either.

Three knocks on the door announced the arrival of Tory's guest, the whiteness of her flying suit gleamed in the sunlight, matching her folded wings. Her honey-brown hair was styled in its usual tight braid. Behind the thick black frames of her glasses, her mismatched eyes seemed lit with the fires of purpose.

Tory, wearing low ride jeans and a tank top, opened the door. It was obvious she made an effort to clean herself up for her guest. She wore make up to cover the bags under her eyes with a light dusting of gray eye shadow. Her hair looked tamed and put in a neat ponytail with a single curl framing her face. Tory smiled and stepped aside. "Hi. Laura said you'd be visiting today."

"I hope that I am not intruding. May I come in?" The Queen asked politely.

"No, not at all." she replied and motioned for her to come in. "You can have a seat if you want." she said as she closed her door and locked it before joining Arianna. "What brings you here?"

"I have a proposition for you that I thought you would be interested in." The Queen politely took the seat that for offered to her, spreading her wings for balance as she placed the tote bag she was carrying at her feet.

Tory cocked her head. "A proposition? What kind of proposition?" she asked and eyed the tote bag for a moment.

"Are you at all interested in starting your own practice?" Arianna leaned forward slightly. "You might not make many credits to start with, but if what I have in mind works, you will never have to turn tricks again."

Her eyebrows rose into her hairline. "I... would love to start my own practice." she said, a little bewilderment to her voice. "It's something I've always wanted but my apartment... I know it's not much but it gives me shelter and it's all I can afford."

"Are you willing to accept barter for your services? My territory is very poor, but they need help that I cannot provide them. They will accept you with my backing." The Nephilim Queen said.

For a moment, Tory thought about her options and realized she didn't have many. "Alright, you've got yourself a deal." she grinned and held out her hand to shake on it.

With a sweet smile, the Queen took Tory's hand in her own fragile one. "I also thought about a way you could get out of debt that would help us."

Tory flushed. "Laura told you huh?" she wasn't upset, she just thought a clean slate where _no one_ knew what she was would benefit her self esteem.

"This will make sure they can't come after you and help you get payback if in a roundabout way."

"I like that deal." said Tory and smiled much like Laura when she was truly grateful. "So, when do I start?"

"If I tell you what the plan is, you can't tell _anyone_, not even Laura." There was steel in her voice now.

Tory nodded. "I promise."

"We plan to clean out the Narrows and make it our home. All the humans allied with us will be given a fresh start and we'll help each other renovate the buildings for our use. A city within a city, a Sanctuary. Your role will be to become a spy."

"That's a great plan and all but I thought my role was to be a doctor."

"You will be, on that you have my word, but your role here can also be useful." Arianna said calmly. "How many confessions have you heard during pillow talk?"

Tory chuckled at the term and said, "Far too many to count on one hand. But that is a good idea."

"Think about this, you have the power now to put them away, to aide us in cleaning these streets and allow you to open your practice that much quicker. We are gathering information as well, but those confessions are something only you can get." The young Queen regarded the woman thoughtfully. "I think you would be right at home in my territory, both now and after we take over the place you call the Narrows…"

"You make a hard case." Tory replied and nodded. "Alright, I'm yours. I'll need a bug to record them though."

"You will have one, and we can tap wherever you pry your trade as well." The queen promised, picking up her bag and unzipping it to place three very large binders on the table. "These are all the criminals we have on file so far, it would be a help if you could look through them and identify which ones you know." She also pulled out a notebook and a pencil. "If you don't see them in there, give me what information you can and I'll do my best to see what we can do, any gaps you can fill would be of help."

Tory nodded and started with the first binder. She flipped through within a half hour, identifying more than half of the criminals. Some she did business with, the others she had only seen in passing.

The second binder wasn't much different and the third took her an hour. She knew every one that was in there and had dirt on each.

Looking at her notes and the people she had identified, she cringed. "Now I feel like a bigger whore." she looked at Arianna with a serious face. "Don't show Laura these. Please. She knows what I do but... it's different when you know how many you know?"

"I don't judge people, I let them judge themselves." Arianna replied. "You are under my protection now; whatever goes on in my territory stays there unless there is no other choice."

"Okay. Thanks."

Arianna flipped through the notes Tory had taken. "Are there a few here that we do not know about?"

"No, it's all there. Whatever I know, you know. And I don't know anything about these other guys."

Absently, she nodded, all of her attention on the papers as she pulled out a pack of different colored highlighters and gave the notes a fine tooth comb.

"What's your territory like? Are there certain rules that need to be followed other than the obvious?"

"The adults address me as 'milady' or 'milady angel'. They view it as being respectful. The children are allowed to just say 'Angel'. I am not very formal, but others in my family are. So long as you pitch in with the community, you'll be fine. If you decide to settle there, I or your neighbors will teach you the candle code."

"Sounds good." she smiled. "It's a little dangerous here... do you mind if I do move into your territory?"

"I don't mind, but would it blow your cover here with your boss?"

"Shit... you're right. Alright then, I'll move in after we get them behind bars, or at least until my boss is taken down."

The queen nodded. "Most of the people in my territory do not drive or will not drive after dark. Is that agreeable to you?"

"Why not?"

"My guess is that they don't want to risk hitting one of us." The Queen shrugged. "I confess, it makes me feel safer."

Understanding, Tory nodded. "Don't worry. I walk everywhere. Laura does all the driving for me when she has the time."

"Do you garden or have any hobbies?"

Tory chuckled. "You mean other than the obvious?" she stood and opened a small cupboard. "I like taking things apart and put it together with different parts to make something... different. I'm sort of an inventor." she set the small gadget on the table and grabbed a radio. She set it to a working station and set the gadget near it. She pressed a button on the small object and a blue light shone.

After a moment, the radio turned into nothing but static. "It does it to TV too. I don't have one but I brought it to an electronic shop and stood by one when I had it on and every TV within five feet went fuzzy to the point you couldn't make out what the images were."

The Queen's eyes sharpened. "That could be very useful..."

"You think so? I'm sure I could make a few other things, though I admit that I work blindly. I don't know how it works or what it would do."

"Would you like to learn more? I can invite my sister here, it is no trouble."

"She wouldn't mind?"

"No, she wouldn't, anything that helps us is welcome." She straightened, and put her hand to her ear. "Sister?"

"Hey, how's it going down there?" she asked.

"Something interesting has come up. Can you come over?"

Max didn't reply for a moment. "Yeah... okay. I'll be there soon." After ten minutes Max knocked on the door.

Arianna answered it. "Sister, this is Tory, she's under our protection now. I think you two have a lot in common."

Max looked Tory over. "Do we?"

Tory narrowed her eyes but said nothing to her unspoken jab. "Hi."

"What's up SwanQueen?" asked Max.

"She's agreed to help gain confessions and evidence; she also made an interesting device that I thought you should see. Tory, would you please show her what you showed me?"

Tory turned it on with the radio and it immediately went to static.

Max raised an eyebrow and went to the counter. "What is it?"

"I wasn't sure when I first made it but it makes the radio frequency and the television pixels go wild."

Max picked it up and examined it. "Impressive." she muttered.

Tory smiled in gratitude. "Thank you."

"I thought that the two of you could put your heads together and learn from each other." The Queen told Max then she raised her eyebrow. "Was I wrong sister?"

"No, this is very interesting. If we could somehow make the frequency in this bigger than maybe it'll work on surveillance cameras, giving us the advantage when we go into the buildings." After handing it back to Tory she said, "We can definitely work with that and try to make the range bigger."

The Queen smiled at both of them and began to pack up. "I'll take over your shift my sister. Take as long as you'd like."

Max smiled at Arianna. "Thanks. Fly safe."

"Land with Grace." Nodding to Tory, she shouldered the bag.

"I'll see you soon." said Tory and saw Arianna to the door. "Thank you for the offer."

"You are very welcome." Tucking her wings around her, she left.


	14. Many Hearts, Many Problems

Author's notes: was being a pain and wouldn't let me post anything, but I'm making up for it tonight. Special thanks to inu-midoriko for not tearing her hair out and sticking with me all this time! We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

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The cold night air was unforgiving as she ran as hard as she could, as fast as she could from the men in black behind her. They were hot on her tail and if she didn't get them away from her soon she would be dead. Most likely raped first, then cut up into tiny little pieces and thrown in a dump in the back of a building. She shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts. She needed to concentrate on the task at hand. That being, loose the men and stay alive while doing it.

Her heart nearly stopped when they opened fire and just barely missed her ankle.

"Shit." she muttered and pushed on harder. She had no idea how long she had been running. Driving from Metropolis to Gotham wasn't usually a dangerous drive but when you see something you're not supposed to, you had better pray whatever god you believed in, that they were there to help protect you.

Coming to the forest on the outskirts of Gotham, she could have cried with relief. Dark forest meant it was easier to loose those guys and since they didn't have dogs, it would give her an easy advantage to get as far away from both cities as possible.

"Shoot her already!"

"I can't bloody see! She went in the forest!"

"Give this to me." Gunshots were heard as she just ducked behind a tree. One bullet still managed to graze her arm. They were shooting blindly, hoping at least one bullet got her. "There, if that didn't kill her I'll eat my shoes." hissed one man, but the tone in his voice indicated he was in less than a humorous mood.

When she couldn't hear them walk or talk anymore, she booked it further into the forest, cursing herself for forgetting her cell phone in her car.

She was cold, tired and scared out of her wits, so when she came to a campsite with two teens baring their wings, her eyes widened, her breathing became erratic and she hit the ground, the world lost to her for a moment.

Arianna rocketed to her feet. "Find SwiftSpy and Joshua." She told her pairbond. The order given, she walked towards the woman. "Don't be afraid Miss."

The woman's eyes brimmed with tears and when she saw another winged teen with a small boy in her arms, the tears spilt over her cheeks. Her fear and exhaustion finally surfacing. "Do-don't hurt me, please!" she cried and covered her face in her hands. Her arm burned from the bullet that barely missed.

"What is your name?" The Queen asked.

Her hair was platinum blonde, half of it pinned up, the other half down her back. It was obscuring her face now as she replied, "Courtney."

"There's nothing to fear from us." The Queen said soothingly.

"Why do you have wings?" her eyes were wide, her blue eyes shone from barely contained tears.

"We are Nephilim."

"What?" Clearly, she hadn't listened to the news.

"Humans that chose to give up our human identities in order to answer a higher calling to protect this city." She explained patently.

Courtney didn't say anything but her trembling lessened. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body slumped limply against the tree.

The queen sighed. "Shock. KnightHawk, how do your wings feel?"

"They're fine. Need me to take her to the people in our protection?"

"No, I'm not leaving her here in our territory, take her to the hospital and drop by the police. SwiftSpy, can you see if you can find out where the shots were fired? We might need to move again..."

KnightHawk picked up Courtney and flew to Gotham Hospital while SwiftSpy took off in the opposite direction where the gunshots were fired.

Returning to the fire, she built it up and shivered in silent fear.

When Courtney woke up, a police officer was sitting at her side. "Good evening Miss, you are in the hospital."

She looked around, her eyes widening. "Are they here?" she asked, fright in her voice.

"Who Miss?"

"The men in black. Please tell me they're not here."

"No miss, you were brought here safely by the Nephilim." He shrugged. "They are still skittish around humans, so they left after you were in safe hands."

Courtney sighed in relief and relaxed against the pillow. "Thank you." she whispered and closed her eyes for a moment. "What can I do for you officer?"

"You can tell us what you were doing out so late and help us figure out who attacked you."

"I was in Metropolis visiting my sister when I got turned around and witnessed a murder. I drove towards home here in Gotham. I hoped I'd loose them but they shot my tires so I ran for it. I came to a forest and hid behind a tree. It was dark out so they shot blindly; hit my arm and when they thought I was as good as dead they left. I went further into the forest and found the Nephilim. I don't remember much I do remember they weren't hostile at all. They were... nice."

"You most likely scared them. They aren't very trusting of people. We treated their Queen very badly, so they don't trust us very much."

"Trust me," she said and indicated to her tiny body. "I'm the least threatening thing they'll ever come across."

"Their Queen is like you, and the others follow her orders without question. You could have been a spy for all they knew."

"I'm not a spy." she said, sitting up.

"I know that, and you know that. They most likely don't think you are, but they've probably moved now just to be safe."

"Okay. I've told you all I know. What else do you want?"

"Just rest up and someone will fix your car and bring it to you."

"Okay, thanks."

The officer stood and made as though to leave, pocketing his notepad.

"Is there any way to contact them? I feel like I should thank them for not leaving me out there."

Stopping, the man looked back and shook his head. "They usually come to us. I can leave a note with the contact, but they might not answer."

Courtney nodded. "Alright. Thank you for your help."

In the Narrows, the sweeps were starting to show as the lesser criminals were slowly culled from the rest of the group like the domino effect. They were vanishing by the handful. At first, they were confident that the charges wouldn't stick, but _somebody_ was digging in the skeleton closet and finding things that couldn't be explained away even with bribes.

"How many have we lost?" asked the Boss.

"Today, five more. Overall, seventy-two. Boss, if this keeps up we're going to go down."

The Boss' jaw clenched. "Leave me. I want to be alone. I need to think of a plan." his second in command nodded and left, bringing the lackeys out with him.

Enraged, the Boss turned to his computer with a furious gaze. No matter how hard they tried, this so called 'Queen' would always manage to slip between their fingers. It didn't help that Batman was on their side and help the girl escape on a couple occasions. He glared at the latest video shot of her flying away yet again. He played it repeatedly, determined to burn a hole through his screen.

There was no real pattern to her flights, and though she _would_ land occasionally to note a detail or two, most of the time she stayed safe in the air. It appeared as though the Queen was giving the Narrows a fine-tooth comb, much the way someone would scope out an apartment.

The boss followed her movements and although there was no pattern to her flight, she did fly over the criminal's houses that were convicted of an indictable offence. Someone was giving her information and it had to be an inside person.

Another thing that was interesting was that one night she seemed to be very interested in the empty lots. The Queen would walk carefully around the space as though counting her footsteps to measure the space and seemed to be closely looking at the soil.

"What are you doing, girl?" he asked, rubbing his mouth before leaning in to look closer. She had a binder in her hands. When she turned her back on the camera, he got a view of the contents of the binder. He paused then enhanced the image. The page was full of pictures and notes of criminals. Binder was full, which meant she probably had dirt on every person in that thing, if not most everyone in the Narrows. "Someone is going to pay dearly for their treachery." he muttered darkly.

After seeming to skim for something, the Queen shook her head as she reached into her bag for something. Now kneeling on the ground, she apparently wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty as she planted something in the soil from a packet she'd taken from her bag before taking off again. Her lips moved then, and she looked a little sad. 'It's not finished yet, it's not time. Soon, we will be home.' He made out.

He played it repeatedly for two hours straight, trying to make sense of what surely only made sense to her when one of his underlings came into the room. "Boss... you're not going to like this."

"Did she escape again?" he asked without even looking up at the thug.

"Yeah but she had hel-" he was cut off by the Boss shooting him three times in the face before his body even registered it was dead and hit the floor. "The next person to tell me she's got away, is next on my hit list!" he screamed and everyone in the room bailed to try to do their damnest to capture her.

His second in command remained calm. "I wonder what she was promised in return for helping the cops…" He mused, ignoring the dead body on the floor.

The boss spun around and glared at him. "Why would it matter?"

"Because this lady is no batman. Batman does it and asks for nothing in return. Remember, we aren't dealing with a human." He frowned. "Have you noticed that every time a building is emptied out after the next group of criminals is put in jail, no one ever moves in afterwards?"

"Yeah, because no one wants their head in jail next. Superstition, James, that's all it is."

James frowned, clearly disagreeing, but keeping his mouth shut.

The boss shook his head at his lackey and waved a hand. "Leave me. I still have work to do and I can't do it with you hovering over my shoulder like an obsessive mother."

"I'll send someone in to remove the body."

"Do that. Oh," the boss faced him again. "And while you're at it, make sure she's captured. I'm sure her race and culture are growing by the minute. It would make it quite difficult if we were outnumbered. Its been what, a month since we got here? It won't look good for me if I make idle threats."

"We've seen only three including the Queen. Do you want her incapacitated?"

"I want her here, alive."

"Yes sir, I'll see to that." James said, already adding to those orders in his mind.

Meanwhile, Terry controlled his rage with effort as he stripped the blood-soaked pants the queen wore to better see the wound. "Can't you control her?" He snapped. "You know that she shouldn't be in the Narrows at all right now."

"You try telling her she's can't do what she wants. See where that lands you." snapped Chaos, pinning her down.

"Aren't you supposed to be her mate?" Batman knelt on her leg to control her twitching as he poured antiseptic into the wound. "This wound almost went in her butt!"

Chaos' temper took over. "Stop moving!" his voice turned feral and his strength increased but he wasn't hurting her.

When Arianna was still, having passed out from the pain, Terry cleaned the wound. "Why do you and Max look healthy and she looks malnourished?" He asked. "This will need to be sewn up."

"It's how her stress compensates. She eats just as much as I do, but her stress makes her loose weight."

Terry made sure the wound was clean before he started carefully stitching the wound. "Is it possible that she might have different dietary needs from the two of you?"

"I don't know. She's the expert in this, not me."

After Terry finished the stitching, he put a dress pad over his work. "She won't be sitting or lying on her back for a while." He said. "You have a very stubborn Queen who acts ten feet tall and bullet proof."

Chaos only narrowed his eyes, right now having no argument for it. She was hurt because she was stubborn. To say anything otherwise would be a lie. No matter how much he loved his queen, he vowed to be honest. "It's not your place to comment."

"It's not, but Terry would skin me alive if I didn't point that out."

"Terry can go shove it elsewhere." he hissed. "What are you, his damned lapdog? You take out villains the size of trees and yet you take orders from the likes of him."

"He is my friend and _she_ is still family in his eyes." Terry snapped, heat in his low voice as he moved away to shift her so her head was in his lap. "You can put her pants on now."

Without saying another word, Chaos pulled Arianna's pants up. "She going to be okay?" he asked, exhaustion masking his voice.

"I'll need to see her again to possibly pull those stitches out."

Chaos nodded letting worry masking his face. "Thanks."

"Damnit Ari, you still keep getting your hand in the cookie jar and putting yourself last, I thought you would have grown out of that bad habit by now at your age." Terry said quietly in a gentle voice to the girl resting in his lap, stroking her hair affectionately.

Chaos frowned. "Excuse me? You sound as if you've known her all her life."

Realizing his error, Terry mentally cursed. "Can you keep a secret?" He frowned and added "Especially from your Queen?"

The Queen's mate narrowed his eyes. "Depends on the secret."

For an answer, Terry removed his mask.

"McGinnis?" for a moments Chaos could only stare. "Terry? What in the hell are you doing? Why haven't you told SwanQueen? She's your family."

"Shush! Keep your voice down." Terry snapped, feeling her stir and gently stroking her hair until she relaxed again. "I've been Batman for the past six months."

"Why haven't you said anything to her?"

"Because she cut me off, more or less, as Terry and it's too dangerous for her to know."

"How? If she knew you're Batman she might feel more inclined to let you help us."

He shook his head sadly. "Nope, Ari's too stubborn. Remember the first rules she gave you about cutting off call ties to human family and friends?"

"Yes... I see your point, but do you honestly think you can get away with that for long? Her mind may be occupied for now, but eventually she'll put two and two together."

"I doubt it since the work she had dedicated her life to will be something that will take her entire life to do, and even if she does, she won't say or do anything about it so long as I don't get in her way."

"Why do you want to help her so bad when she doesn't want to have any ties to you?"

"You could say its atonement. I was a very bad kid once, and she was one of the people I hurt. I think it's safe to say I'm one of the reasons why she distrusts humans so much..."

"Good going on that one." said Chaos with a slight sneer. "Will she need any pain killers?" he asked, switching the subject.

"I don't trust her with them, she's always had a very low drug tolerance, and we don't know what they will do to her in this form now." Terry said firmly.

Chaos sighed but nodded. "Put your mask back on before she wakes up. I won't tell her but if she asks me if I know who you are, I'm not going to lie to her. I love her."

Terry's light blue eyes narrowed as he put the mask back on. "Are you married? Is she pregnant?"

Chaos shook his head in a negative. "It's not called a 'marriage' it's called a Pairbonding. As far as I know, she's not pregnant. Why do you care so much anyway? It's not like you have to take care of the child."

"Because she is small to start with, plus, you have no medical care and neither of you know what is 'normal' for your kind during pregnancy. You aren't the only one who loves her Chaos."

A predatory look came over his eyes. "Don't overstep your boundaries Terry. As for medical care, we found someone. If it makes you feel better, we'll get her examined as soon as she's well enough."

Cocking his head, Terry looked annoyed. "She won't go for it, there's too much to do in her mind. Plus, that doctor would have to be part vet as well." He paused. "And don't even get me started on her needle phobia..."

"Then what the hell do you suggest I do?" he asked, his wings expanding from his repressed anger and worry. "She's not going to go for anything I say because at the end of the day, she's my Queen, I'm her faithful follower."

"You are her mate and she loves you. She almost came after you herself when you were captured, if Joshua hadn't been there, she would have knocked me out! How long has it been since the two of you had any time together?"

Chaos sighed and shook his head. "Alone and without fear? It's been weeks." Although he wouldn't admit it, he was flattered that she would have come after him herself when he went missing. His eyes softened as he gazed at her peaceful face. "It would kill me to loose her Terry."

"Why do you love her so much?"

"Besides the fact she's smart, independent, pretty and that she loves me too? I have no idea. It's hard to explain but over time I grew feelings for her as a person and they grew into love."

Terry's eyes narrowed. "I see… I'm not overstepping my bounds but since I'm the only family she's got left- even if she won't admit to it- I'll play the parent with a gun, I owe my Aunt that much..."

Chaos relaxed but said nothing. After a moment, he nodded in agreement. "Alright, fair is fair." he then sighed for what felt like the billionth time that day. "We need some sort of armor. I know I don't deserve any favors but do this for SwanQueen. Do you know- or know of anyone- who can make us something so we're not so... vulnerable?"

Gently, Batman picked her up and carried her to the batjet. "She isn't strong enough to bare that weight. Armor would make you less agile in the air."

"Make the armor lightweight then."

"Lightweight armor won't stop guns at close range." Batman replied. "Maybe you and Max could handle it, but the two of you are Warriors." When Chaos sat down in the back, Batman returned his cousin to her mate's lap before getting in the cockpit seat.

"Then she's no longer allowed to go out without an escort. I mentioned this to her before but she didn't take it seriously. Now that her life was almost taken again I'll be enforcing it as a rule."

Taking off, Batman nodded. "She's very hands on and Arianna has been on her own for a long time, even before her mother died. So she often forgets that she has others she can rely on now who will do what she asks and do it right without her watching them."

Chaos nodded. "Yeah... I'll get on that." he muttered and stroked Arianna's soft hair. "Why don't you let us really help you, my love?" he asked quietly.

In his arms, his Queen stirred. "Ouch... not again... I _must_ work on that pain tolerance..." She muttered in pain as she woke up.

"Shh..." cooed Chaos. "Don't try to move, you'll make the pain worse."

"Where are we?" Arianna asked.

"We're in Batman's batjet. He's taking us back home."

"I can't believe this happened again... he got lucky." She snarled softly. "At least it was just my leg..."

"You're not going out unprotected anymore. You have two of us; you don't need to be going out alone. You can rely on Max and I to get jobs done without hovering. Trust us."

Sighing, the Queen cuddled in his arms. "I know that, I just wanted to protect the two of you."

He embraced her tighter. "If you die, where's the protection in that?"

"You are the only male Nephilim, and our sister's skills are too valuable to loose." The Queen pointed out.

"And you are our Queen with all the knowledge, guidance and plans. We're all needed, all very valuable but it would be unfair to stick one out to do all the work while the others always sat safely at home."

"The two of you do work darling." She defended her mate. "It's not like you are goofing around at camp wasting time."

"I know but I haven't gotten hurt once and you've been almost killed twice." Chaos sighed, frustrated. "That's hardly fair."

"Honey..." His Queen sighed. "I knew the risks and accepted them. And who knows what will happen in the future?"

"I don't care. Either we all have this equally distributed or I'll chain you down and Max and I will go, not knowing what's coming."

The Queen narrowed her mismatched eyes "You wouldn't dare."

"Don't put it past me." he countered. "You're loved too much to risk. Know that."

"The next thing you'll tell me is that you are going to get me barefoot and pregnant the next time I go into Molt." she muttered.

He leaned down with a feral grin. "You know," he said, his tone lowering. "I just might." he lowered his lips to hers in a firm kiss, letting her know he wanted her. All of her. Especially alive and safe.

When they got to the edge of the forest, Terry lowered the batjet and got out of the seat. "You can't put any weight on that leg for a few days." He told her as he picked her up.

"Other than the fact that it hurts, why?" The queen asked, tucking in her wings.

"If you try to walk on it, it won't heal right and you'll limp for the rest of your life. Not only that I'm not sure how you react to being shot. Obviously like anyone else, but you're Nephilim. It might take longer or quicker for your insides to heal. Chaos mentioned you have a doctor in mind. Have her start examining you to get a better feel of how you react and how you are."

"I limp anyway, and I heal slowly, but that's just my body type. Mother tested it whenever I came home with cuts, bruises and other nasty things."

"Your limp will be worse and painful." he replied. "It may be nothing new to you but trust me, when the pain becomes unbearable, you'll regret not staying off it."

The Queen just nodded, looking over his shoulder to check on her mate to see how he was handling this news.

Chaos had a serious look on his face but never once took his gaze off Arianna. The look in his eyes silently telling her that she was going to do as Batman says and not walk or else he _would_ grab rope and tie her down.

Shaking her head in bemusement, she turned her attention back to Batman. "We moved the camp to the caves."

"Good idea. If it rains you'll have more shelter." he commented and carried her towards the entrance to the caves. "I mean it Arianna. Do not walk for at least three days."

"At least I can catch up on my sleep..." She muttered.

When Batman stepped in the cave a five year old jumped up, ready to use his sling shot when he saw Arianna injured. "Swifty wake up! Swan is hurt!" cried his little voice, still unable to say their full names.

Max shot up, about to go for her bow but stopped when she saw Arianna's leg. "SwanQueen!" she said horrified. "Are you okay? What happened? Do you need to go to a hospital? Was it those men again?" she asked all in one breath, worry obviously stretched across her features.

"I'm fine, they just got a lucky shot, I'll be off my feet for a few days." She shifted slightly in Terry's arms. "Almost got it in my rear."

Max facepalmed and sighed. She turned to Terry and narrowed her eyes. "You sure all she needs are a few days' rest?" she asked.

"Yeah, don't worry. I may be human, but I'm not an idiot." he said.

"One would beg to differ." her expression was serious for a moment before a grin broke her features. "Thank you." she said sincerely and took Arianna from him. She laid the smaller girl on her stomach on the cushioned floor so the wound wouldn't get irritated.

"You're welcome." he said and turned to Chaos. "Take care of her. I'll have Terry come visit her soon."

Chaos only nodded, saying nothing.

Arianna made herself comfortable as best she could, all the while calming Joshua down, who did _not_ like the sight of her bloody pants.

"Why is there so much blood?" he asked, his eyes wide and his brow furrowing.

"Blood moves honey, just like the water does."

"Oh... does it hurt?"

"Not much sweetheart." The Queen lied.

The boy laid down beside her and stared at her face for a moment. "Are you going to the hospital?"

"No, I'll be fine Joshua, I already had it taken care of before I came back." She let the boy cuddle against her as was his habit.

Joshua sighed and nodded, trusting Arianna's every word. "Guess what I did today."

Amused, the Queen looked at the boy beside her, but was careful not to roll over onto her side. "What did you do today?"

A small smile graced his thin lips. "I shot a squirle today with my slingshot but it got away and then I helped Swifty skin a rabbit." he then giggled and put his hands over his mouth to keep from being too loud. "She was funny."

"Would you like to learn how to hunt better?" She asked gently. "I can show you how to really work with a sling."

Joshua's smile widened. "Okay. But only when you're better."

Arianna sighed, and then frowned in puzzlement before she looked to her other side to find her mate stroking her wings while her sister helped clean her up. "Knighthawk?"

"Yes?" he asked.

She twitched slightly under his hand. "Why are you...?"

"Does it feel too weird?" he asked but didn't let up.

"No but..." She shivered. "We aren't..."

"...Does it feel too good?" he asked and stilled his hands, giving her a questioning look but smiling for Joshua.

"Our wings are very sensitive; why else do you think that I'm so careful when I touch you or our sister when I'm tending to you? There is a reason why our wings are not touched by just anyone." The Queen answered, deliberately not answering the question directly.

A mischievous look passed over Chaos' face, as if he was saving the information for later at a better time. "My apologies." he said but kissed her playfully on the nose.

She shifted slightly between Chaos and Joshua and pillowed her head on her arms. "Apology accepted."

A week later, the Queen was in the home economics classroom again at the school. Still mindful of her leg, she was standing in front of the small sewing machine working on something instead of sitting. Max was learning how to spin yarn while Chaos was rolling the finished project into a neat ball. Joshua was sitting nearby and was learning how to sew under her watchful eyes. It was a peaceful scene of family harmony, and the Queen looked truly happy.

Their peace wasn't meant to last long because as soon the door opened, hostility could be felt before it could be heard or seen. "What are you doing here?" hissed Dana, anger in her eyes. Max instinctively went for her bow but when she saw who it was, she stopped herself. Chaos, however stepped closer to his Queen.

"I have permission to use this room today." The Queen replied calmly, not turning around. Only the slight movement of her wings betrayed her annoyance. "We weren't bothering anyone."

Joshua put down his things and got up to stand protectively in front of the queen. His slingshot hung from his belt in easy reach.

"Why don't you just leave, or are you so selfish that you'll ignore everyone else's discomfort to satisfy your own needs?" Dana crossed her arms over her chest, oblivious to the fact Max and Chaos were giving her looks that told her to shut up.

"If you had minded your own business and not poked your nose in here, you wouldn't know we were here." Her voice was calm with an edge of cold, yet when she addressed the boy behind her, her voice turned warm and loving. "Joshua honey, please don't stand so close."

"Why? I don't like her." he said stubbornly and moved up a step.

"Because you were about to brush against my leg, sweetheart." She answered, finishing the seam and finally turning around to pat the boy on the head. "It's okay, she can't hurt me."

Dana snorted and put all her weight on one leg. "And why's that?"

Max raised her bow. "Because KnightHawk and I will get to you faster than you get to her."

Dana raised an eyebrow at the girl she used to see as a friend. "Is that so? Well I'd love to see you explain that one to the Mayor. Especially since I'm so harmless."

"You started it." The Queen answered. "I asked for- and was granted- permission to use this room."

"And I'm telling you that you're making more than half the school uncomfortable." she hissed back.

"That's why I'm not here during school hours. This was important and I needed a few things to finish a few projects I am working on."

"Well finish up and get out of here." Dana narrowed her eyes. "We don't need you freaks crowding places you don't belong."

The queen narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips together. "Beloved?"

"Yes, honey?" he asked, his eyes trained on Dana.

"Please take Joshua out of the room, make sure he uses the bathroom."

He only looked at her but took Joshua's hand and led him out of the room. The boy quietly obliged although you could see the pout he was making.

"SwanQueen?" asked Max an eyebrow raised.

The Queen was truly angry now, and her wings folded tightly around her. "Finish your task my sister; we can at least finish one thing that was on my list today."

"Whatever, freak." she turned to Max. "Never thought you'd be one of them. It's too bad for you, since you won't be here much longer." Thinking she had won Dana was about to leave the room. However, Max's back straightened and in an instant, Max had her hand on the door, stopping her from leaving, and stopping anyone from coming in. Dana was about to scream but Max used her other hand to cover her mouth.

Enraged by Dana's rudeness, Max pushed her former friend back into the room and formally bowed to her Queen. "My Lady, would you please get some water and stretch out your legs? You've been standing in one place for a while and that is not good for your injury." The falcon-winged Nephilim spoke with the utmost formality and politeness.

Arianna's mismatched eyes were thoughtful as she nodded with equal formality in agreement. "Of course, thank you for thinking of me. I'll make sure the two of you are not disturbed. Please be careful of the coat I'm working on." Without paying any attention to Dana, the Queen left the room, shutting the door behind her.

When the door was shut, Max let go of Dana. "I honestly don't know why I ever thought you were a good friend." She said in disgust.

"Funny, I'm thinking the same thing." Dana replied, her dark eyes narrowed.

Frowning, Max leaned against the wall. "You never hated splicing before."

"You never liked it before either." she shot back.

"I didn't really think about it before I met her." She admitted. "Things are changing Dana; this city is going to get worse before it gets better." Looking over at the half-finished coat Max sighed. "At least she's _doing_ something about it."

"You ditched everyone without even saying goodbye." hissed Dana, a hurt look over taking her angry facade for a moment. "If you think you're a saint and did everything you could to stop people from getting hurt then you're wrong because you failed to realize that the people you hurt are the ones you once called friends. Did I really deserve to be treated like I didn't matter to you?"

"Funny, my parents didn't care, and the only reason you ever hung around me was when you were ranting about Terry. Besides, I didn't want to get things thrown at me or shot at." She softened slightly. "You called my Queen a freak; do you really think I wanted you to call me that too? This was _my_ choice Dana."

"I never just hung out with you to rant about Terry. You were my best friend, of course I'm going to share my problems with you." she crossed her arms over her chest. "I guess this just goes to show that even the best of us can turn on those you think you loved. You're not the only victim in this Max; don't act like you're the only one that's suffered."

"I never said I was the only one who suffered. I know I'm not, but you don't have any right to hurt her either or blame her for something that wasn't her choice. Life is already hard enough for her without you screaming at her."

"If she didn't want to be screamed at them she shouldn't come where she isn't welcome." Dana's figure shook from repressed anger.

"You were the one who poked your nose in here; you were the one who's making an issue. She didn't come in here to socialize or be worshipped! We've been here working for five hours and nobody's said a word. We didn't break in, Arianna asked the teacher if she could have use of the sewing machine for the day and the teacher said yes." Max replied, answering anger in her voice.

"What the hell made you turn to _her_ of all people?" asked Dana, finally breaking through the quiet tone she was using to yell out her frustration. "Do you know how many people you've hurt by cutting all ties from them? This is frigging stupid and you're too blind to see that because I thoroughly believe she promised something that you didn't have before."

"She didn't promise me anything. I went to her- Earth and Sky, I cornered her- because I was _sick_ of being taken for granted all the time, I wanted to do something useful and meaningful with my life. And before you ask, she put me through boot camp first and made me earn it, she didn't just say 'okay'!" Max snapped. "Contrary to what you might think, she doesn't take just anyone."

Dana looked like she was going to retaliate but she held her tongue. This obviously wasn't getting them anywhere. "Do you hate me?" she asked.

"No I don't hate you Dana, but you might want to be more respectful to her. She brushes you off, but her husband is another story. If you hurt her, I don't think I'll get to you first." Max said calmly as she put her bow away. "She's been hurt one time too many for our comfort."

Dana's eyes narrowed but she changed the course of the conversation. "Why does she come in here anyways?"

"She uses the sewing machines and the old loom to make clothes for the humans she protects."

At this, Dana's head rose sharply. "People? What people?"

"Have you ever been to the poorest sections of Gotham City? Aside from that community service field trip we took last year?" Max asked as she leaned her case against the chair she'd been sitting in before Dana entered.

"I've passed by it a few times... that's where her people are?" she asked with a curious eyebrow raised.

"That is our current territory and the humans within that area are under our direct protection. She makes their clothes with her own hands whenever she can." Max sat in her chair. "More than once we've caught her giving up her own meal and water to a family that hasn't eaten."

"That's terrible! No one's offered to hold a fundraiser to collect clothes and food for them?"

"From what I was told, it was done a few times, but the people were mainly in it for their own ego so it didn't last long. My Queen is their hope, she cares about them and they all know it. 'The rich and spoiled can fend for themselves, these people need us'. Those were her words."

"That's horrible." for a moment Dana had forgotten about her argument with Max and was about to talk about how she hated insincere charities but she stopped herself. "You know me as well as anyone. So you know that when I say I'll hold fundraisers for them, I mean it."

Max nodded. "I know that Dana." She sighed. "Believe me; I know you aren't _that_ big of a bitch."

Dana glared at her at first but a grin broke out on her face. "Good. So, do I need her approval or can I just start my fundraiser?"

"You'll need her approval and backing. That's her territory, and it's all she has left since her mother died. Though there are plans in the works to move our territory- and the people there- to a better place, but that will take time... especially if she keeps getting shot at and hurt..."

Dana smiled nervously. "Yeah... doubts on her letting me anywhere near her place, let alone her people."

"Start with an apology and simple respect." Max replied. "If you can't respect her and show it, then the people won't take anything you offered. To them she is 'Milady' or 'Milady Angel' though the children can get away with just 'Angel'."

"Right... an apology. I can do that, but not now. The timing isn't right. Plus she's probably still angry with my outburst."

Two sharp knocks on the door and the queen poked her head in before limping in. "Sister, is everything all right?"

Max turned to her Queen and smiled softly. "Everything is fine, mi'lady." she said. "We've come to an understanding of sorts."

Nodding, the brunette made her way to the sewing machine where the unfinished coat was waiting for her to resume working on it. "The males will be back in a minute." The coat looked to be made of a handmade fabric that was clearly the best of her ability to create.

Dana bit her lip for a moment as she looked at Arianna's work and couldn't help but be a little impressed that she was going out of her way to make quality clothing. As much as she hated to admit it, her respect for Arianna went up... but only slightly. "I have to go, Max. I'll see you around. Good night, mi'lady." it took her everything she had to say 'mi'lady' but once it came out, it didn't seem all that lame. In fact, it suited her quite a bit. But she wasn't about to admit that just yet. Especially when she still didn't really like the girl.

"Goodbye Dana." The Queen's voice was coolly polite as she shifted her weight to her good leg. "Be careful on your way out, the jocks are rather rowdy since they haven't practiced enough to drop dead and be sensible."

At this, Dana smiled. "Will do." she left the room in time to see Chaos and Joshua make their way back. She turned around the corner to make her way out of the exit but as she was about to open the door, it opened and in stepped Terry McGinnis.

Terry was holding a shopping bag in his hand as he stepped aside to let Dana pass without a word. He didn't look very happy as he made his way to the classroom Dana was coming from, clearly not in the best of moods.

"Hey," greeted Chaos as they both neared the door at the same time, the winged teen and the child getting to the door first. Using the manners Arianna taught him, Joshua said hello and opened the door for the two older men.

"Thank you Joshua." said Chaos while Terry patted him on the head and trailed in after the older teen. When the two were in, Joshua shut the door behind them.

"Hey Terry, what's up?" asked Max with a smile.

Terry didn't answer right away, eyeing the Queen's rigid posture, assessing her temper and his welcome. "Bad morning Milady?" His voice was mild and polite to avoid sparking her anger further. "You shouldn't be on that leg, you _can_ sit down now, just be careful in a hard chair."

Mentally smacking himself in the head for not thinking of that before Terry arrived, Chaos grabbed a chair and put it behind Arianna and gently eased her down while speaking softly into her ear. "It will feel better, mi'lady." he ran a gentle hand over her wings. "Your people won't approve of you working in your previous conditions," he ran his hand gently up the span of her wings, knowing exactly what it was doing to her. "So please, relax and work in comfort." one last stroke down and he took his hands off her and planted a loving kiss to her head.

Gingerly taking her seat, Arianna smiled at her mate with eyes that were slightly glazed over. "It was a good day until someone poked their head in and let all their brains dribble out of their ears to _try_ and make us leave."

"Working on it." said Max in an off hand tone, more so focused on spinning the yarn.

"Dana tried to make you leave?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

"She tried." The Queen answered sharply.

Terry narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"

"Darling, would you answer that? Yes Joshua, I'm all right, the bad lady didn't hurt me." Arianna soothed the boy standing protectively next to her.

Joshua was touching her head and running his hands down her arms. "The bad lady yelled and called us bad names." He said before Chaos could explain things.

He turned sharply to Max. "How exactly are you 'working on it'?" he hissed, his already bad mood taking another turn for the worst.

"I made it very clear that the next time she starts disrespecting my Queen, I won't even try to save her." Max replied, looking up, the falcon-winged Nephilim smirked. "My brother wanted to take care of it, but I told him that I could handle her." Hearing Chaos snarl in displeasure, Max smiled at him. "Don't worry, you get the next round, I'll even let you barrow my some of my arrows."

"Whatever, you guys handle it." he went over to the nearest table and set down his bag. "I brought some greens fresh from the ground. I washed them and made sure they were edible before bagging them."

The Queen's head snapped up as the machine stopped, startling Joshua. Quickly getting up, she went over to the bag, her mismatched eyes all but glowing in greed as she took a nice head of lettuce out of the bag, sniffing carefully before tearing off a piece. "Thank you." Snarling a warning to the others, she ate almost half of the head before allowing them to approach the food Terry had brought them.

Terry took a step away. "Right... note to self, do _not_ stand in the way of food." on another note, he was thrilled she was eating. Within a couple weeks, she would be back up to the weight she was supposed to be.

Full for the moment, Arianna folded her wings as the light of hunger faded from her eyes. "Very, very nice..." The Queen sighed in contentment. "Finally _full_ of green good food..."

Max raised a brow. "Is that a normal reaction?" she asked. "To warn others away?"

Arianna sighed. "From what I read of mother's notes, every Nephilim's diet is slightly different depending on their Type. Even though you and KnightHawk both eat meat, each of you find a certain type satisfies you more than the others, correct?"

"Yeah." they said in union. "So it's like a territorial thing?" asked Chaos.

"Both of you can eat vegetables, but they will not fulfill your needs as quickly as meat will. This is because both of you are meat Types. However, I am not strictly a meat type. While I love seafood and find it satisfying for me, I also have to have green food as well, so I have a double craving that concerns my diet." The Queen explained.

Chaos' eyes widened. "Why the hell didn't you say anything before?" he asked. Terry frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm sure we'd all like to know that one. There's no reason to starve yourself." said Terry, his tone angry.

"You know as well as I do that human food makes us sick! I've been eating store bought vegetables, but it doesn't last long and I get sick afterwards. The only way that we would be able to have food that is _completely_ free of tampering is if we grew it ourselves, but that takes time. As long as I have seafood, I can function -if slightly weakened. I know my limits."

"But you never told us that you weren't getting enough nutrients." said Max, he jaw clenching. "You avoid a bullet and yet you could have died from malnutrition. That's just frickin' great."

"There was _nothing_ you could have done about it. I wasn't in any danger- yet." Her voice was toneless. "Our creator was very through in her testing."

At this, the three teens huffed and it was clear by their body language they weren't impressed she didn't share this information sooner.

"It would have taken two years, four months, and one week till I had nothing more to give. That was her estimate based in the testing she did." Her voice was still calm, talking about herself as though she was a test subject.

"You're not a test subject!" yelled Terry, catching onto the way she was talking about herself. "Christ Arianna, don't experiment like that. Let everyone know what hell you're planning."

"I wasn't _planning_ anything. Telling you would have done nothing but either make you worry about me or push things in an effort to hurry things up, I was in no danger. Now if I wasn't eating seafood as well as greens, then that would have been another story altogether."

Chaos and Max sighed in union. Max pulled her aside into an embrace. "Don't scare us like that." she said but smiled warmly at her. "After all, who am I going to bother for more computer software if you're not around." she joked.

Arianna hugged back. "Sorry I snarled at you two. My instincts got the better of me."

"No worries. We probably would have done the same thing." replied the darker skinned teen.

"Are we almost finished here?" asked Chaos, looking at what Arianna was doing.

"I still have a bit to go. Our unwelcome guest put me behind, and I would really like to finish this today." Now she looked at Terry and frowned. "Why were you in a bad mood when you came in?"

"I did some snooping in your territory." he started. "Turns out there's a couple rats living there."

Arianna snarled again, opening her wings with a snap as her eyes flashed in temper. "They won't be there long. Do you have their names and locations?"

"Ellen Tyrol, Patrick Gucci, Bianca Latchy, Arnold Stick and Jason Lou. They live together in one of the smaller houses on the very edge of the corner when you first enter the village."

"Are they legal criminals or Nephilim haters?"

"They have their own individual criminal records, mainly for hacking and lock picking. Things like that. It's almost as if they've been hand picked to find information."

"I figured this would happen." She smirked. "We must be pushing the right buttons..."

"Max, if you can set up a bug, I can plant it. We'll know what they're after within days."

"I'll work on it tonight and have it ready for the morning."

"Thank you for the information Terry." Arianna looked calmer as she returned to her work.

Terry smiled. "Don't rip on them too badly." he said before he left and shut the door behind himself.


	15. Tending to the Web

Author's notes: Another new chapter. Special thanks to inu-midoriko for not tearing her hair out and sticking with me all this time! We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Only the sounds of the forest filled the air as the Nephilim Queen dumped another armload of loose dry sticks onto the steadily growing pile that rested under a tree, hidden and carefully covered with a tarp most of the time. After recovering the pile with the tarp, the brunette turned her attention to the flat rock in the middle of the clearing and started to carefully clean it off again until it was as spotless as she alone could make it. The rock looked like either an altar or a funeral pyre, this cleaning and gathering was a ritual the Queen found herself doing every day that she could. No one else in her family knew about this- at least, that was what she thought. Only when she was finished did she kneel in front of the rock and touch it gently with her fingertips as a tear fell from her face. "Soon mother... soon my creator... it will be soon." The Queen said in a soft choked voice.

Chaos came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Arianna rocketed to her feet, although she was careful not to touch the rock again- even for balance. "I'm fine, just cleaning up." She replied, quickly brushing the tear away.

Her mate frowned and pulled her in for a hug. "You don't have to tell me, but just know I'm here if you need to talk."

She swallowed hard. "I'm just preparing her Pyre. I want to give her a proper Nephilim funeral. She deserves that." The Queen couldn't stop the shudder that took over her body. "I can't stand to see her put back in the ground again, I can't..."

Chaos kissed her forehead. "She won't be buried again, my love."

The Queen relaxed slightly in his arms. "They could do it but..." She sighed. "Is it creepy that I want to handle it myself?"

"No, it's understandable. You've been wronged and her body unjustified. It's understandable that you want to do it yourself and on your own terms this time." Her mate's voice was a soothing croon as he hugged her even closer to him.

"I haven't even chosen her tree yet. Even though the Mayor has said I have free rein, I still feel like..." She sighed. "It's foolish I know..."

"Want me to come with you when you choose the tree?" he asked.

"Could you? I didn't want you to be bored..." She looked hopeful, which showed just how worried she had been about going out into Gotham proper.

Chaos gave her a soft smile when a pang of affection shot through his chest. "I'd do anything for you, my Queen. You needn't worry about how I feel."

She kissed him gently. "Let me go bathe and change my clothes my love."

"Okay. SwiftSpy is helping Joshua make another weapon. They call it the 'Joshinator'."

"Uh oh... I'm almost afraid to ask what that is. Are you sure you have enough credits?"

Chaos nodded. "Father knows what I am but I'm still his son. I looked into my account and it's still pumping with credits so we should be fine for a _very_ long time."

"I'm surprised he didn't cut you out..." She let him follow her to the river, but made him stand modestly behind a tree as she retrieved her bathing things and undressed. "Could you go to the camp and grab one of my brown suits?" The Queen paused with a frown. "I think that's my last clean suit... I keep ruining my clothes..."

"We'll get you more." said Chaos but didn't turn around, wanting to keep her modesty in check. "We need to pay a visit to our territory again soon sweetheart." He said off handedly before making his way back to camp.

A half an hour later, the queen and her mate were making their way to a local plant nursery. Landing, the Queen looked around with interest and curiosity. "Hm..."

The people working in the floral shop took a step back as she landed. "Uh... can we help you?" asked a man around his fifties. He was tall with a rounded belly and graying hair.

The Queen smiled politely at the man. "I was wondering if you had any fruit tree shoots or seeds for sale."

"Sure do. What ones were you looking for?" he asked and scooted by a younger woman, who went back to trimming a bush.

"Apple please." She replied.

"Maggie, where did you put the apple seeds?" called the man and from the other room a woman called back. "They're in the third cupboard, dear. Is there someone who wants some Derek?"

"Yeah!" he called back and when he looked into the third cupboard, he found what seeds she asked for.

She waited patiently, interlacing her fingers nervously. "Thank you very much."

Derek turned and smiled at her. "No problem. How many packs do you want?"

"Just one please." She turned slightly. "Dear? What are you doing?"

Chaos turned away from the flower he was inspecting. "Nothing. One pack?" he took out his wallet from his jeans and handed Derek seven credits. "Is that enough?" he asked.

"Just right amount." said Derek and nodded to the two. "Don't be strangers."

Arianna gave him an odd look, and then smiled slowly with real warmth. "We'll try."

"The way I see it miss, a customer is a customer. Nothing's going to change that. You were polite, so I will be too."

"Thank you very much, I will return in the future." The Queen hesitated, looking like the young girl she was. "Do you sell pots as well?"

"Of course, just through there, Maggie will show you the way." he said and gestured to the young woman. The tall brunette smiled shyly and motioned to the two to follow her.

In silence, the Nephilim Queen followed Maggie. "Sorry honey, I want a pot in case we don't settle right away." She told her mate.

"Not a problem. I'll wait here." he replied and when she left to follow the woman into the other room, he inspected the pink flower again.

After looking at the pots for several minutes, she chose one: a simple medium-sided terracotta one that had a separate bottom for water. "This looks like a good one..."

"It is. My mom has one of her own; it's lasted for about ten years now. She makes them herself too from the pottery class she took."

"Hm…" the Queen hummed. "That is a very useful skill." This was high praise. Taking a closer look at the pot, a smile curved her lips before she made her way back to her mate. "I found one sweetheart."

Which did you choose honey?" he asked.

She held out the terracotta pot for his inspection. "It's simple but very well made." If she was straining to hold it, the brunette gave no sign of it.

Chaos took it from her with a sigh of annoyance. He couldn't understand why she wasn't taking better care of herself. It was as if she felt like she had something to prove. "Alright." he turned to Derek and held up more credits for him to take. "We'll take this too."

Arianna smiled happily. "Thank you very much. The pot is beautifully made; please give my compliments to your wife."

"Thank you." Derek smiled his thanks. "Have a good day now."

The Queen bowed slightly in respect before leaving the shop. "That went very well." She sounded surprised.

"Yeah, I'm surprised he was that friendly."

"The seeds are good quality too..." His queen mused, holding the bag with the precious apple seeds tightly.

Chaos grunted, still irked that she would put her health last yet again. "How's your leg?" he asked.

Frowning in concern, Arianna turned her head slightly to see her mate. "It's fine, a twinge when I move too quickly, but other than that I am perfectly fine."

Chaos nodded, seeming to be satisfied with that answer for now but it was obvious something was still bothering him. "Do you have an idea where you want to plant them?" he asked, changing the subject."

"I'll start it in the pot, and then put it in the ground in our new home later." She replied. "It won't be done today, I need to visit Tori."

"Are you going to offer her the Choice?" he asked. He had met Tori and so far, he didn't like her or her past.

"It's too soon to say yet." The Queen said soothingly, pausing to shake out her leg, wincing as she did so.

He held out his hand for the bag. "Let me carry it." he said. "Do you need a lift? I don't mind carrying you for a while."

"It's not heavy honey." She protested, stepping back into place beside but in front of him. "I'll be fine once we are in the air, and you are already carrying the pot."

"I can carry more than one thing." he protested and put a hand on the package of seeds.

With a sigh, she turned and put the packet of seeds into the pot. "You are in a fussy mood today." She murmured solely for her mate's ears.

Chaos merely shrugged; satisfied that she complied with his wishes. "I just don't like it when you don't care for yourself."

"Don't worry, we'll be in the air soon enough."

"I know..."

A few minutes later, they were on the roof, having ignored the humans' odd looks when they took a short cut through a building to use the stairs. "Are you sure you can carry that? We aren't going back to camp yet."

"Yeah, don't worry. It's only two things, honey." he replied with a soft smile.

Nodding her understanding, she opened her white wings and jumped to soar in the sky. Once her mate had joined her, they flew high to avoid traffic and headed towards the place the Nephilim referred to as the Viper Pit.

"Are you sure we can trust her?" asked Chaos, still having doubts about her.

"She has no reason to betray us." She smirked. "I confess to using a carrot to ensure her loyalty. Tori won't fail because her dream will die if she does."

"Very true. I still don't like her." he commented and together they landed in front of her apartment building. He let her go in first before following and knocked twice on Tori's door.

Arianna made sure her hair remained neatly braided as they waited for Tori to answer, ignoring the second twinge in her leg.

The redhead answered the door within seconds and when she saw Arianna, her face lit up into a smile. She stepped aside to let them through. "Hello, mi'lady." when she saw Chaos, her gaze turned cold. "KnightHawk." It wasn't a big secret they didn't get along. The first time they met Chaos asked Arianna if Tori would be okay with the other men in their territory. It seemed harmless to the Queen's Pairbond but Tori didn't think so at all. Since then, the air around them was always thick with uneasiness and hostility.

"Tori." Chaos greeted just as coldly.

Returning the smile, Arianna tucked her wings in and walked carefully to disguise her limp. "How are things Tori?"

"They're alright. I got information about the top man that has these parts in bad shape." she went a folder she had tucked under the couch and brought it up onto the cushions for Arianna to view.

Arianna took the folder and opened it, whistling softly when she saw the stack of paper along with several recording chips. "Did my sister show you how you change the bugs?"

"Yes." she replied with a smile. "I'll admit it was hard at first but I'm getting the hang of it."

Absorbed in the paperwork, the queen sat in the couch to take a better look and raised her eyebrows when she saw the neat labels. "A nice touch. That will come in handy."

"Thank you. Would you two like a drink? I have tea." said the woman. Now that she had something to look forward to, she cleaned her whole apartment from top to bottom and made sure she kept up with her hygiene. Her hair was in a high ponytail but she wore a nice t-shirt and jeans.

"Tea would be welcome." The queen hissed as she shifted and got to her feet again to shake out her leg. "Pairbond, We'll need to make another stop before we head back, unless you want to do it right now."

"I'll drop it off now. You stay here, don't open the door for anyone. I'll knock on the door in a beat so you know its me."

Distracted, his mate nodded, almost hopping on one foot. "I know beloved. Fly safe."

"Sit down." Chaos snapped. "This is what I mean. You're not caring for yourself." Chaos ushered her to the couch and immediately Tori was there, inspecting her leg. "You were shot?" she ran a careful finger over the wound.

"Yeah, I got lucky; it almost went in my rear end." She hissed softly and pulled down her pants so that Tori could see it better. "I think they've been investing in a shooting range..."

"Well at least it didn't go in your ass." she said. "You can go KnightHawk, I have things here."

"Are you sure?" he asked but his eyes were trained on Arianna.

"Go, we need to get that information in the right hands right away. If it's not here, they can't prove she had anything to do with it. Someone breaks in, Tori can claim she captured me and was patching me up before taking me to the boss." The queen hissed and went rigid with pain as Tori poked at the healing wound. "Or torture, whichever works better."

"Sorry." she muttered and went to get her first aid kit.

Chaos was rigid and had the biggest urge to argue because he knew it was true. Every person, no matter his or her virtue, was valuable if Arianna thought so. "I'll be back in ten minutes." he turned to Tori as she was coming back. "Don't let anything happen to her."

"I won't." she promised and locked the door behind Chaos.

Arianna appeared to be doing her damnedest to turn her head around backwards to see just what was wrong with her leg. "It's in such an awkward place…" The queen muttered in annoyance.

"Yeah I know." said Tori as she took out the things she needed.

The nephilim queen sighed as she turned her head forward and forced herself to lie still. "Mother saw me now she'd have three types of cat..."

Tori laughed and carefully cut the stitches and pulled the strings out. "Why?"

"Mother didn't like strangers tending to me. She hated taking me to doctors and never _ever_ left me in the room alone with them." Somberly, she pillowed her head in her arms. "After I was reborn she became my private doctor."

"Looks like I'm your personal doctor now." Tori muttered. "Jesus, no wonder it's been hurting. Your stitches got infected." Rummaging through her kit, she found her disinfectant. "I'm going to put this on it." When she opened the bottle, it smelt strongly of rubbing alcohol and rum. "It's going to sting." after that, she poured enough of it on so that it would go through the stitching and help heal the infected areas.

The queen yelped and went flat against the couch. "It does more than sting!" Grinding her teeth, the brunette forced herself to stay still, but gave no other complaint.

"I know it hurts. It'll stop soon. Just lay there for another little while." Tori got up and put the medical supplies away. "As soon as it stops burning, apply this to it twice a day. Once when you wake up and once more before you go to bed." she handed Arianna the ointment and sat on the couch. ``I take it human medicine isn't an option?"

"I honestly don't know, but I don't want to take any chances. Herbs seem to be the best bet. A Nephilim doctor will have to be part herbalist, part bonesetter and part surgeon." She answered, grateful for the distraction from the pain. "Part vet wouldn't hurt either..."

"I'm only a medical doctor with a surgeon's degree. You'll need to get an herbalist, bonesetter and vet separately unless you want me to go back to school for it."

"It all depends on what you want to do Tori. If all you want to do is treat humans and stick to what you know, that's okay. I'll admit, you won't be the only person who is self-teaching as you go. I'm now a high school dropout myself." She shifted slightly as she waited for the alcohol to do its work.

"I can tend to you and your kind too. That being said, I would need to experiment a little. As for the other things required, it wouldn't hurt to have an extra pair of hands. I'd hate to make a mistake and no one be there to catch it for me."

The queen looked thoughtful as she considered this, ignoring her half naked state. "Perhaps..."

"I know it means involving more humans but right now it's something that's needed. Besides, you may end up offering them the Choice. That way they'll have a chance to help your kind, and humans."

Slowly, reluctantly, the brunette nodded. "May I stand now? Or do I need fresh bandages?"

"New ones would be better." she said and within a minute she had new ones wrapped around the wound.

When Tori was finished, the queen stood, dressed without a word and walked over to the pot her pairbond had left by the door. In silence, she checked over the pot.

A few moments later a beat of knocks on the door was heard, just in time for the water to start boiling, signaling that the tea was ready.

Standing, the Queen herself stepped over and opened the door. "Welcome back." Seeing the dark look on her mate's face, the queen took a step back. "What went wrong?"

"The Commissioner wants Tori and everyone else on the inside, out."

Swallowing a curse, Arianna narrowed her eyes. "You get the others, I'll get Tori out." Turning she went to face Tori. "Tori, do you have anything that _has_ to go with you- anything that you can't leave behind?"

"Yeah, hold on. I packed everything important in case one day I got in too deep and had to leave ASAP." she ran into her room and a second later, came back out with a gym bag full of everything she needed."

"Good, turn off the stove. I'll meet you outside the Narrows, I'll be watching over you, but you won't see me." The Queen was in full command now.

"Okay." she said and turned around to turn off the stove. When she headed for the door, Arianna and Chaos were nowhere in sight. She headed for the exit out of the Narrows as soon as she was out of the building, narrowly missing a speeding car and a couple offers of service. Sighing, Tori finally made it out and headed down the street.

Outside of the Narrows, the brunette waited calmly, holding the heavy pot in her arms. To judge from the expression on her face, she could have been doing nothing more than taking a peaceful stroll. "Good job."

"Thanks. Nothing like almost getting hit and having sex afterwards to make your world go round." she replied sarcastically. "So, where are we going?"

"At least you are alive. We are going to settle you in my territory for now until the cleanup is done." Feeling a tug on her pant leg, she looked at the child wanting her attention that her mate had carried. "Yes Sara?"

"Who's the girl?" asked Tori, positive that she'd never seen the girl before.

Kneeling, she put the pot down and hugged the girl reassuringly. "You weren't the only spy we were using Tori."

A man wearing black leather stepped forward. "Sara honey, don't bother the Lady."

"It's all right Kyle. I don't mind." Kissing the child on the forehead, she picked up the pot again. "We should keep moving, it's a long walk for you." Standing, she eyed the pregnant woman at Kyle's side. "Melanie? Are you all right? Is it too far for you?"

"I think I'll be alright." the woman laughed. "I may need to stop though." she confessed.

"Don't worry, we'll make it there." Tori reassured and put a comforting hand on Melanie's shoulder.

As Kyle wrapped an arm around his wife for support, he nodded to the Nephilim queen and watched her consort pick Sara up again. "They will watch over us until we are safe."

"What way do we go?" asked Melanie.

"The park is about halfway there dear." As they stated to walk, he sent a shy smile at Tori. "I'm Kyle, this is my wife Melanie."

Tori smile warmly. "I'm Tori. How far along are you?" she asked.

"Seven months. Feels like nine though." she laughed.

"That's great. Girl or boy?"

"We don't know. Um, Kyle got a little too deep and had to spend most of our money paying back our debt."

"I know how that feels." Tori muttered. "Well I wish you two the best."

"Thank you."

"The Lady promised a fresh start and help for the family." Kyle said. "Sara adores them and always saves her desert for them when they visited."

"I have a doctor's degree. She promised me that I could put my studies to use."

The husband looked slightly ashamed. "I was... very rude at first, it sounded too good to be true. The more I got to know her though, the more I realized just how seriously she takes the promises she makes."

"Yeah... I'm glad she didn't abandon you guys. If anyone needs a new start its us." said Tori. Melanie took Tori's hand. "We can get through this." It shocked her how willing they were to open their arms to a stranger. Tori supposed it wasn't hard to do since they've all been very kind and open minded. After all, they were all in the same situation.

When they got to the park, the pair landed. The Queen had a strange expression on her face, looking as though listening to something. When she saw them, her expression was apologetic. "I'm sorry, but my consort will have to take you the rest of the way. I was just told that something has come up that requires my immediate attention."

"Of course. See you soon." replied Tori.

"Fly safe." Melanie said with a warm smile.

Laying a hand on her mate's arm, Arianna climbed a tree to take off. She was heading towards the forest, her fingers itching to hold her sling in her hand as she let loose a soft growl of temper. Her sister had said someone was there, but couldn't tell who it was.

Courtney Grove was a small woman, fragile even. A woman that usually wouldn't be caught in the forest hiking, or in her case, looking for the Nephilim that she had seen weeks ago. Her platinum blonde hair stuck out like a white sock in a pile of black socks against the greens and browns on the forest. She wore baggy hiking attire that were already dirty from having fallen. Her crystal blue eyes didn't notice the winged figure in the sky, also searching for an intruder; her.

The Queen landed in front of Courtney, hissing softly at the impact, the pot in her arms. "So you are the one poking around." She greeted the human as she put the pot down under the tree.

For a moment, Courtney didn't say anything. "I didn't mean to intrude... I just wanted to see you... and the others again. I didn't get a chance to thank you guys for helping me."

Mismatched eyes weighed Courtney's words before a slow smile formed. "It was our duty and privilege."

Courtney smiled back. "Do you live out here still or is this just a hang out place?"

"We are still in the area for now." She replied calmly.

"Those men that attacked me, they haven't been back have they?"

"No they haven't. I'm fairly certain they have had more important things to worry about lately."

Courtney smiled. "I'm glad. They were looking for something my boss was working on. They couldn't find it and he wouldn't tell them he gave it to me so they killed him. I witnessed it and they came after me."

"You should testify against them." She leaned with her back against the tree.

"I can't. There's too many of them. They're from an organization and the leader is, well, very influential. They don't call him by anything but 'The Boss' so it's not like I can have the police convict him for everything he's done."

Arianna's body suddenly went taunt, and her eyes sharpened with something that wasn't human at all. "Interesting."

Courtney visibly shrunk. "What?"

The Queen pushed away from the tree. "Testify, you will be protected."

"The police can't protect me. They have people on the inside. I heard them say it." said Courtney, her eyes wide with fear.

"Trust me, if we went directly to the top, would that make you feel better?" The smile on her face was not a nice one.

Courtney visibly relaxed. "Yeah... if you trusted them."

"I have my own bone to pick with this particular prey. Do you need to retrieve the evidence?"

"The officer that was waiting for me to wake up took pictures of the scene so it's there. They just need me to testify once they catch the ones that did it."

"What about what your employer gave to you?"

"I still have it. I don't even know why they'd want it."

"Give me a moment, Wait here, and then I'll follow you to get it before we go see my ally." The Queen said, picking up her pot again.

Courtney waited where she was leaning on the tree and listening to the sounds of the forest. It was calming. No wonder they liked to live out here.

Walking as quickly as she could, the nephilim queen reached the caves a few minutes later. "SwiftSpy?" She called, setting the pot down near the rest of her things. Limping only slightly, she frowned. "Joshua? Sister?"

"Here!" their voices seemed farther away than they were supposed to. A few moments later they reappeared. "Josh found another entrance only it leads further into the cave and seems to head down into the ground."

"I finished shopping but I need to head back out. Our intruder was the blonde woman who stumbled into camp a week or so back."

"What does she want?" asked Max.

"She wanted to thank us, it seems that the guys who were after her worked for our big prey. However, like a frightened chick, she won't testify unless I take her to someone I trust." Arianna sighed. "Joshua, please don't mess with that pot, my medicine is in there."

Max sighed as well. "Oh Lord Sky... Do you need help?"

Smoothing down her braid, she nodded. "Call the Commissioner and tell her that we got our spies out but that I'm on my way to her office with another link in the chain. KnightHawk's settling them in with the humans loyal to us. Did we run out of greens?" Her stomach rumbled.

"No we got more. They'll be ready for when you get back." she said as she picked up the cell phone and already started dialing.

"I'll make them ready for you." said Joshua and went over to the pile they collected. He put some in a bag and headed for the stream not too far from the cave.

To stave off her stomach, she took a piece of leftover fish and wrapped it in the bread pita that she was experimenting with. The Queen ignored the gummy taste of fish gone cold as she headed back to Courtney.

Max was going to scold Arianna for her lack of food intake but she saved it instead to start making soup as her phone rang for Barbra.

When Courtney and Arianna got to Barbara's office, Arianna was in a less than forgiving mood. Her stomach was not pleased with the cold fish and letting her know it from the slightly green tinge to her cheeks. Ignoring the odd looks, she knocked on the Commissioner's door as she tucked her wings in tighter.

Barbra opened the door and raised her eyebrow when she saw the two standing there. She stepped aside, noticing the look Arianna was giving. "What's this about?" she asked after she closed the door once Courtney and Arianna sat down.

"I brought you a witness to use against the Boss." The Queen said calmly, lacing her hands in her lap and folding her wings like a cloak around her.

Barbra looked from Arianna to Courtney. "Go on."

"I saw something I wasn't supposed to. They killed my co-worker and said something about 'the Boss'. They chased after me and tried to kill me when they realized I was a witness."

"Where did they chase you from?"

"Metropolis. I live here but the lab is there. They were looking for something my boss had invented."

"Do you know where it is?"

"I have it."

Barbra looked to Arianna. "I assume she's already reported this?"

"I wasn't there in the hospital room with her, we stayed long enough to make sure she was treated, then left once she was among her own kind."

"I told the officer what happened. He said he'd look into it but I haven't heard anything from them."

"Tell her who the officer was."

"He didn't give his name." she said quietly, realizing now that she should have asked.

The Queen's eyes flashed. "Description?" Her body was as still as a statue with a cold expression on her face, illness notwithstanding, the Queen looked ready to fight if only with her words.

Courtney frowned in concentration. "He was tall, dark eyes, tanned, dark hair. Really well built. Um, I think he had five o'clock shadow. That's really all I can tell you. He was wearing a uniform so I thought he was actually a police officer."

Arianna shook her head in disgust. "Lamb inviting the wolf for dinner." She muttered.

Barbra sighed. "Alright. If you saw him again, would you be able to point him out?"

"Yeah, for sure."

"Alright." Barbra went to her door and called over a uniformed officer. "I want every officer that was on duty the night of Tuesday April third to go to the screening room."

"Yes ma'am." said the female officer and dropped what she was doing to complete what the Commissioner asked of her.

The Queen had remained silent, concentrating on her breathing to control the Rage she felt building, her nails looked more like talons as she kneaded her legs.

"Calm down." said Barbra, noticing how tense she was. "We don't know for sure if he was an imposter."

"Always assume the worst, better to be overprotective than dead. You haven't found all the rats yet, and there's every reason to believe this Boss has a spy in with the police, otherwise you would have caught him already." She pointed out.

``Either that or he's a master of disguising himself." Barbra pointed out. "But you're right, it's better to be safe than sorry. Do you have any family?" she asked Courtney.

"Just my sister but we're not talking right now." she replied.

"Could you stay with her?"

"I'd rather take my chances alone."

Barbra sighed and looked to Arianna. "What do you suggest?"

"Witness protection under your express direction?" The Queen suggested. "You know who's trustworthy better than I do."

Barbra nodded. "I was thinking that but if there is a rat that I don't know about, he could be fooling everyone including myself. I think it would be better if she stayed with your people. I'd have uniforms staking out the perimeter until we find the man posing as a police officer."

She thought about this. "Its a really rough place Barbra, I had to do some juggling just to fit my spies in. They don't trust the police since that whole thing after Wendy's death."

"My most trusted boys will be there." she said. "I know it's hard but as you said, it's better to be safe than sorry and I don't want this young woman's life to be in danger because the GPD doesn't have their officers straightened out."

Slowly she nodded. "Are you giving us a stipend?"

"If that's what you need then it can be done." replied Barbra.

"No, no I don't you to have to pay for me. Really I'll be okay."

"Right now, you don't have a say in the matter. It's too dangerous with this man on the loose."

She nodded again. "I think that a show of goodwill is in order... Which one of your police force members is most loyal to us?"

"About half of the force has already accepted. The rest are still resentful." Barbra turned on her computer. "I'll get you the names of the ones that I know will protect you."

"I want ones that can be respectful to me and are able to say 'My Lady' without it choking them or making them grit their teeth."

"That narrows it down to about three and you need six of them."

"Are there any good with children and their care?"

"The women and fathers." she replied.

The Nephilim Queen raised her hands to her temples, trying to think of the things that were needed the most in her territory at that time. "Any good with drug detox?"

"In the drug unit. If you want someone that specializes with kids, I can get you that too instead of giving you a random."

"Ask for volunteers as well, specifically among the resentful ones, but make it clear that once they cross into my territory, my word is considered the law."

"Will do. What else?"

"I would like the chance to meet them and for us to go over their roles, make sure that they can really handle working with me and mine _before_ they cross over. Let's get everything ironed out beforehand."

Barbra nodded. "I'll speak to the ones I have in mind." she printed off the names she knew would be a good match for the task and handed it to Arianna. "Give it a day, I'll talk to them and they'll make the decision within the night. For tonight, we'll set you up here where you'll be safe. I'll have a corrections officer guard your door." said Barbra and nodded to the woman standing outside her door. "This is officer Pitre. She'll set things up for you. I'll check up on you later this evening."

"Thank you. Both of you." she said and stood up to be taken out by Officer Pitre.

When her door closed, Barbra rubbed her temples. "What could she possibly have had that would make the Boss want to kill her?"

Arianna now stood and began to pace restlessly, twitching slightly as she moved. "Your guess is as good as mine Barbra."

"If I'm Barbra, you're Arianna." she replied.

"SwanQueen." She corrected firmly. "You've earned the right to call me by my Nephilim name."

"SwanQueen. Alright then." she nodded. "So, what have we got on the Boss? We might as well start somewhere."

Frowning, the Queen faced Barbra again. "He really wants me captured. From what I'm hearing, he is focusing all the efforts on me." She flinched and froze in place for a moment. "I have the wound to prove it too."

"Do you have any idea why?" Barbra asked, taking out a note pad by habit to write everything down.

"I think it's because he knows someone is helping you, and he knows I have the most to gain from it. He also has a very nasty sense of humor..."

"Most criminals do. When your mother was alive, did she mention anyone that may have been a threat to her?"

"My mother had only one enemy that I am aware of, and he's already dead. Damn Batman for that…" The Queen said with tender venom, flexing her fingers slightly in a reflex of anger.

"I take it you wanted the honors of killing him off." said Barbra.

"Yes I did. I was her true Heir, that task was for me to do." She nodded.

"At the time, Batman had no idea you existed. You can't be hostile because of that."

"I know that, but it doesn't shake the feeling he took my rightful prey." Arianna shrugged.

"I know how that feels." Barbra smiled sadly. "In any case, if you have a plan, let me know. That way if it's too dangerous for my guys, I'll be able to pull them out of it."

"I do have a question, but it's off the subject. Has anything been decided about Joshua's _mother_?" The family title brimmed with sarcasm.

"She's a drug addict, so she's lost custody of her son and the father is equally unable to care for him. His name's been put in the CAS system but if you're willing and able to care for him, I'll take him off."

"He won't leave us. When we had to flee, I offered to leave him in the care of one of the families within my territory, he refused." A smile tugged at her lips. "We have become his family now it seems."

"Alright. Just don't make a habit of it until we rule out other options." she said, letting this one go.

The queen frowned. "The child chose me, I'm not keeping him against his will. As for other options, there will be times when I won't have the time to consider other choices, let alone ask questions before I act. I would rather take them under my wings then see them die."

"Some of them have other family members that would be willing to take them in and give them a good home. You have to consider that too."

"That takes too much time and paperwork- assuming they aren't fooled by the parents first, and by the time someone gets around to considering the case, I've already attended their funeral." A slow burning anger was blooming in her voice.

"I know you have a compassion for children but you're not their legal guardian. It's against the law unless the next of kin willingly give up the child. If you're so concerned about time, drop them off here and send one of your people so come and check for updates."

"I will save those I can by whatever means I see fit to use. If they want the child, they can come to me and prove to _me_ the child will be cared for."

"You don't have that right." said Barbra, her own composure slipping. "Damn it SwanQueen these are children we're talking about here! You don't have the authority to keep them from their family."

"If the family is blind enough to let this happen in the first place, then they aren't worthy of them." Arianna snapped coldly. "Just because they are related doesn't give them rights and ignorance is no excuse. Fortunately, once we have our own Sanctuary, there will not be any need to meddle in human affairs."

"No one knows what goes on behind closed doors. Especially if they don't see one another often." she snapped back. "As far as I and the law is concerned, you're not related to them in any way so you have _no_ rights, what so ever. Ignorance isn't an excuse no, but if you truly don't know what's going on then you can't blame anyone but the parents for doing it in the first place. Now, I've allowed you to have Joshua, _don't_ make a habit of it." she said in a firm tone.

"You cannot change _anyone_ by using the same rules over and over, especially when they _do not_ work!" Arianna snapped in reply. "I work by different rules. If a child is under my protection, then the people who want that child answer to us."

"That's fine if it's in your territory but as it stands, the law is the law. Unless it's changed, no one has a say in it." Barbra replied. "All I ask, is she you let the next of kin know you've taken the child under your wing and if they want to claim them, you'll let them."

"Joshua was a special case." Arianna said tightly.

"I'm not talking about Joshua."

"Don't worry, I won't mess with your rules, but I will only clean this city once."

Barbra nodded. "Trust me, once it's clean, it won't get dirty again."

Arianna snorted but didn't answer.

Barbra gave her a sharp look. "I know we had a disagreement but you don't have to act snooty about this."

"There are reasons why I must not follow human laws. I will grant you a concession instead. I will return a human child to the next of kin, but _only_ if I am satisfied with what I see."

"Agreed." said Barbra and took a deep breath. She rubbed her a face in her hands and sighed. "Do you want any tea?"

The Queen shook her head. "It won't stay down anymore."

"Water then?"

"Tap water does same thing."

The aging woman raised an eyebrow. "What _can_ you have?"

"Nothing tampered by humans, only what we can do ourselves."

"Ah... I see." she said. "How is Joshua doing anyway?" she asked.

"He is very happy, he's learned to hunt and cook food." The Queen answered.

"That's good. Well if that's all," she stood and rounded her desk. "I need to get back to work and see to Courtney. Thanks for bringing her here."

"If she is here, she's not in our hair and luring humans to our camp."

"Do you know what it was her boss was killed for?"

"No I don't."

"I'll ask her when I see her."

Arianna nodded. "I'll breathe a lot easier when the narrows is scoured clean..."

"So will everyone else. Right now it's getting too heated to make a move. I have seven guys left in there. Out of fifteen. Three turned crooked and the others died."

"Leave the rest to us." Arianna replied, with a feral smile.

Barbra returned the smile. "Will do. I take it you enjoy doing it. Hunting the criminals I mean."

Absently, the queen pulled out a nail file and began to sharpen the nails into sharper points. "They are prey." The Queen answered "By the time we finish the hunt, Batman is an Angel and the Police are saints." When she looked up at Barbra the Nephilim Queen let the polite mask she wore when among the humans drop completely from her face, showing Barbra the other side of the Nephilim nature that was not human and could _never_ be controlled by human laws. Her mismatched eyes flared to catch the light; revealing that there was nothing human in them.

"Am I supposed to feel privileged or frightened by the feral look you cover up for most humans?"

"This is who I really am- what all Nephilim truly are- the mask of humanity was simply a polite lie so that humans aren't cleaning their streets with pee. People were scared of those originally spliced because they were seen to have traded their humanity because of how they looked, if they knew that that version was nothing more than the monster under bed..." She smiled. "Well, ask my former cousin what can happen when I loose control."

"Terry? He's seen it?" she asked with a raised brow. ""Tell me he wasn't the one to make you loose your cool."

"No, that was the result of two different annoyances at once, but the second one was waving around a gun and pushed me over the edge. Terry stopped me from killing him, though it was very close."

Barbra exhaled and couldn't help but feel proud of Terry for stopping her from making a mistake she knew Arianna would regret. "Would you have stopped by yourself?"

"No, I was in full Rage at that point, all I could feel was hunger and Rage..." The Nephilim Queen slightly shook her head "All but drowned him trying to get him clean, getting angrier by the second when I couldn't get the stink off him."

"Clean?"

"A female Nephilim's Rage affects her appetite, think of it having the same affect as not eating for a month."

"You were going to eat him?"

"I was going to try, but he wasn't clean enough to do so." Her voice was level.

"...Let's make sure you and all the other females don't loose their cool... ever."

"I don't know how it affects males yet; which is yet another reason I don't want to live among humans that aren't mine."

"I see. Well do your best to keep your tempers in check." she said and went to the door. "If that's all, I have a busy today I need to complete."

The Queen rose to her feet, but her face suddenly turned expressionless as she pressed a finger to her ear, listening intently. "That's wonderful dear, cook what you can and smoke the rest. We'll make a stew with the fresh meat and feast tonight before giving the rest of the stew to the ones loyal to us. They need a real meal for once and they won't be able to tell the difference in the meat." She said calmly to the member on the other end of the Comm unit.

"One more thing..." said Barbra, almost hesitating to ask what was on her mind. "Why did your mother feel the need for another race?"

Thoughtfully, the Nephilim queen shifted her wings as she considered this. "I can only tell you what I've suspected, but its' not a nice reason."

"Then perhaps it's better left unsaid. I think I can probably guess the reason myself."

Curious now, the Queen cocked her head in question and took a step forward. "And what exactly were you thinking the reason was?"

Barbra shook her head. "Forget it. Come on, I gotta be out of here five minutes ago." she said pointing to her watch.

She looked ready to press further, but her stomach growled loudly, which made her mismatched eyes gleam in warning. "I am hungry." The statement was made so calmly that in was a warning in itself. "We will finish this later."

Barbra raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps. It's not that big of an issue."

"I don't like assumptions, if one of us isn't clear, then we both loose respect and authority because it makes us look like asses."

"It's not an assumption, it's a guess. Very different from each other."

"In this game, both are deadly. All it takes is a single misstep and the fragile peace between our people will be gone."

Barbra rolled her eyes. "I haven't told anyone what I think. Don't worry."

"I know that but if you have doubts, however private, it shows." She opened the door, pausing to be sure the mask was in place. "We both have work to do, and I need to get back before I'm tempted to do something that won't be nice."

"My thoughts are not doubts about you." was the last thing she said before picking up her phone and dialing in a number. "I'll see you around- yes I'd like to speak with DA Smith please. Tell him it's the Commissioner..."

The Queen left quickly, ignoring the officers that scrambled out of her way as she headed towards the roof. When there was a break in the traffic, she took off and sped for the camp, snarling softly to vent her growing hunger... She hoped that tomorrow would be a better day.


	16. Alliances

Author's notes: Another new chapter. Special thanks to inu-midoriko for not tearing her hair out and sticking with me all this time! We hope that you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

A few days later Barbra Gordon had six officers, male and female, ready for examination by the queen.

One of them, a man named Kyle, looked at his watch impatiently. "Does she intend to keep us waiting all day like we are her servants?"

"In a way, Mr. Colt, you are her servant." said Barbra. She walked up to him and held out her hand for the watch. He scoffed but handed it to her anyway.

A minute or so later, the door to the police conference room flew open and stifled sobs of terror were heard as a trembling man dressed in black leather and chains stumbled into the room. Behind him, the Queen was in full Nephilim fury as she flexed her talons into his butt. "Sit." She growled coldly, ignoring the pig like squeals of her captive.

KnightHawk came in behind her in all his cold, angry glory. "Who's this?" Barbra asked.

The queen did not answer; all of her attention focused on the prey quivering in the chair, blood running from the cut on his cheek.

"SwanQueen!" snapped Barbra, her eyes bright with worry.

"He's a snitch. The 'Boss's' snitch, to be exact. This guy right here just told us everything we need to know about the bad guys." KnightHawk supplied.

"And he'll be a good boy now and repeat everything, won't you little pig?" The Nephilim Queen asked quietly as she walked behind him and pressed the talons on her left hand into his shoulder under the leather jacket, drawing blood.

The little snitch squealed and yelled his consent.

"Hey we don't use physical force here!" said Kyle, rushing to the squealer's aid. "Get off him!"

The Queen looked up and snarled, rage dancing in her mismatched eyes, her white wings snapping open to their full length in a wordless warning that she was _not_ in a mood to humor the humans.

"Officer Colt stand down, KnightHawk calm her down!" ordered Barbra. Kyle held up his hands and stepped back. "Fine, have it your way." he said while KnightHawk walked up to his queen and put a hand on her waist. He leaned down and whispered things only she could hear into her ears, knowing that it would both relax and calm her.

Whatever he said, it worked, because the Nephilim Queen reluctantly folded her wings and let go of the whimpering man, wiping the blood on her prey's jacket as she stepped back. Accepting the nail file handed to her by her mate, the Queen calmly cleaned out the blood under her talons as though _nothing_ was amiss and things like this happened everyday.

The appearance of calm only seemed to scare the man even more, because he babbled like a brook for nearly a full two hours, flinching whenever the Queen quietly snarled a warning when he tried to sidestep a question or not give a complete answer.

Five out of six officers seemed very impressed with what the man was spilling, all because the queen stood too close or made a noise. It made them wonder what it was she had said or did to him to make a man like this squeal on everyone he knew... including the Boss himself. Kyle, however, didn't like it at all. The only reason he was on this case was because he was the best of the best when it came to handling kids and people with traumatic experiences.

When everything was finished, the Queen looked at the commissioner and spoke to Barbra for the first time since arriving. "Do you still need him?"

"Only behind bars." she said and nodded to a uniform in the corner.

"May we have him when you are finished?" The queen sized up the quivering man. "I'm sure I can find a use for him."

"Like?" asked the aging woman.

"Building things, dumpster diving. Pairbond?" She asked, wanting his input.

"He'll have to have someone watching him no matter what. He'll run back to his boss first chance he gets."

"Well hold on a second," said Barbra. "This man's done enough crime to last himself a lifetime as well, I don't think it'd be fair to let him go with just probation duty. He has to go to jail; however, I'm sure we can work out a deal. Whenever you need him for something, he can come out of his jail cell but as soon as you're done with him, he comes right back."

The man shook, terror in his eyes. "I'll be good in jail; please don't make me go with them!" He pleaded.

Turning slightly, the Queen reached out and lightly caressed the man's bleeding cheek, making the blood run again. "You should have thought about _that_ before you entered my territory and nearly injured one of my humans." She stated calmly before she allowed the man to leave her presence.

The squealer flinched away and all but ran out of the room to get away from the queen.

One of the girls had her hands on her hips. "I don't condone what he did but was that really necessary?"

Calmly the Queen shifted her wings. "Yes it was." She said coldly. Allowing her mate to lead her to a chair, the brunette took a seat as her mate remained standing protectively behind her. "I want their fear. If they want to act like animals, then I will treat them as such."

No one in the room argued, they just looked at her. Some filled with awe, others with uneasiness. "Commissioner... what exactly are we going to be doing for her?" asked one of the girls.  
Barbra merely looked at her. "Anything she asks."

As silence filled the room, the Queen relaxed a little more. "If you have any questions, ask me and I will answer them as best I can within reason."

Everyone stayed silent. It was clear they had questions but no one wanted to risk offending her with their ignorance and end up like the squealer.  
"I'm sure they'll have questions as they go along." Barbra said after the silence stretched into minutes. "Do you have any questions for them?" she asked Arianna.

Her lips twitched slightly in amusement. "I don't eat humans just so you know." The Queen's mismatched eyes swept the assembled group. "What are your specialties? I need to know exactly what I'll be working with."

Barbra pointed to the three woman, each had a different hair color; brown, blonde and red. She motioned to the redhead, "That's Officer Perry, she specializes in wire tapping. Officer Cooks," she said pointing to the brunette. "Works with hard criminals and Officer Banks." she said, nodding to the blonde, "works with traumatized adults. Officer Kyle works with children. Officer Terry and Officer Dennis are S.W.A.T members so they'll be backing your security."

After nodding slightly to each of them and thinking for a moment, the Nephilim queen shifted her wings. "Three questions: Officer Banks, What kind of trauma do you deal with? Officer Kyle, is there a specific age range you are best with? Are Officer Terry and Officer Dennis strictly city detail, or will they be living with us as well?" She had zeroed in on the most importing things.

Officer Banks frowned in confusion. "I'm better with psychological trauma but I can handle psychical trauma just fine."

Barbra took initiative to answer the rest of the questions. "Officer Kyle deals with very young, around three years of age, to about fourteen years old. Officers Terry and Dennis will be strictly yours for the time being so get used to them being there 24/7." Her face expressionless, she regarded Terry and Dennis. "Are you both willing to eat what we eat and help in the hunt?" She looked slightly concerned. "We don't live indoors either, so if you don't like camping you are in trouble."

"Our job is to protect you, not be you." said Dennis. "We would love to do everything you guys do but we have a job to do and I'd rather not be known as one of the officers that messed up his mission to go hunting for food."

Chaos didn't have to look at her to tell her look got murderous as she tensed. "Your presence will strain us if you're with us all day everyday if you do not partake in the rituals. You would have to stay with the humans."

Dennis frowned and said, "I'm sorry our job to make sure you life is inconvent but you're going to have to suck it up. Our job is to protect you and your people. We're the best in our field so just let us do things our way and everything will be smooth sailing. No one will set foot inside your perimeters without one of us knowing."

"And just how do you expect us to feed you?" Arianna answered back. "I'm not going to save the offerings we are given just to feed you when they can be given to someone else that needs them more."

"We never asked you to feed us." replied Banks. "We have our own way of getting food."

The Queen turned her head towards Barbra, and then at her mate, her eyebrow raised in a question she clearly did not want to ask.

Barbra supplied the answer the queen wanted so badly. "We're fortunate enough that they all live in the same neighborhood. Their husbands and wives would be glad to supply the food. All they have to do is drop it off just outside the perimeter and go back home. They'll never know where you are and your officer's wont die of starvation."

The queen leaned back slightly as she considered this, silently letting her mate have his say without letting the humans see her defer to him in this matter.

Chaos put a hand on her shoulder. "It's a good idea. We struggle enough trying to get food for ourselves and the humans who look to us."

"Make sure they aren't followed though, anything can happen, tell them to never take the same route twice going." The Queen added, grateful that they were in accord. Officer Perry asked, "We'll make sure they double check but which Nephilim will we answer to?"

"Perry will be spending most of the time with my sister. My pairbond is in charge of our defenses so Terry, Dennis and possibly Cooks will answer to him, Banks and Kyle will work with me directly." The Queen nodded to Kyle. "Just so you are aware, there is also a human boy in our direct care who lives with us and has adopted us as his family." "Alright, sounds good." said Kyle, rubbing his hands together. "When do we start?"

SwanQueen turned her head to regard her mate. "Shopping trip? If we do it now, we'll have them settled by tonight so that I can take my shift at the lab."

"What shopping trip? Everything they need we've provided."

The queen sighed. "The humans under my protection are very loyal to me. As it stands, they don't trust the system right now. Therefore, I think the only way to get them to accept the officers and not have weapons handy to leap to my defense whenever my back is turned would be a show of goodwill and proof they will follow my orders- if not loyal to me and my people."

"And how do you plan to do that?" she asked.

"Load up a police car or two with supplies and take them to my territory under my escort. Make it clear that it was at my request that they brought these things and stick with me when I start handling them out or helping set up."

"That's a good idea. Everyone hear that? You need to gain their trust. Even if it's just a smidge of it."

Looking at her pairbond, the Nephilim queen's lips quirked. "I'm afraid we are going to drain your father's account again my beloved pairbond."

Chaos grinned. "He'll hardly notice." he replied and his look turned affectionate, silently telling her that he'd spend every penny for her, because he loved her that much and more.

Smiling, the queen stood gracefully, using her wings for balance. "Who will volunteer their cars?" She asked.

Banks and Kyle raised their hands. "We don't mind." they said and grinned at one another.

Nodding, she smiled her approval. "Dearest? Would you like to follow the others home so that they can pack up before taking them to our camp? I would like you there to keep Joshua calm facing the strangers. When we get close to coming back, I'll let you know through the comm unit." Then she addressed the officers under her direction. "How big are your cars?"

"Big enough to fit quite a few things in the back and trunk." said Perry.

Absently stroking her braid in thought, she frowned in consideration. "I was thinking about getting some water dispensers and as many gallons of water as possible... I'm not strong enough to carry things that heavy in flight."

"You have us for a reason." said Banks. "We can carry the water, you two can take care of the other things."

Arianna took a step towards the door, then snapped her fingers in irritation. "Shoot! I dropped my notebook when I dove after that guy... darn it..."

"We'll back track honey." Chaos reassured. "It couldn't have gone far."

"I can't believe this... I left my bag there too..." She muttered, sounding like a normal teenager again, clearly annoyed with herself for forgetting about her things.

Chaos couldn't help but chuckle. "Well when you get mad, you get _mad_. We'll find them, don't worry."

Still looking annoyed, she turned and looked at the humans who were still watching them. "My apologies, please wait here for a few minutes while my pairbond and I retrieve our belongings." The queen's voice sounded formally polite, completely different from the enraged state that she had been in when they had arrived a few hours before.

Barbra nodded in agreement and had the six of them either sit or go get coffee. "We'll be waiting."  
Chaos took Arianna by her hand until they were outside. He let her go and waited until she was in the air and flying in the direction they came from before he took off.

Still growling softly in annoyance, his queen let him take the lead, watching him land first to check the alleyway before joining him when he gave the signal that it was safe to land. It only took her a minute to locate the black bag that Chaos has given her. Quickly kneeling, the Nephilim queen unzipped it and checked that all was well and that nothing had been tampered or broken. "All's well." she reported to her mate after zipping it again. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Do you want to look for yourself?"

"I trust you-" he started to say but as he scanned over the cover of the book, he spotted a smudge of copper. It was light and almost unnoticeable but he was looking from an angle and the light that shone on it made it that more visible. He took the book from her and sniffed it. He sneered at the smell. It smelt like a penny when they used to still be around only the scent was stronger. "This wasn't on it before..." he muttered to himself, as if making an observation. "Maybe that scientist can get an ID for us. Whoever touched this didn't want you to know it was looked at. You're sure everything is still inside?"

The queen narrowed her eyes. "Put it down and let's get out of here. I don't want to risk that being a nasty surprise." She then cocked her head and ruffled though her things again in thought. "Where is the strangeness coming from on the book, pages or the cover?" The queen asked as she looked for any other strangeness among her things or on the bag itself.

"It's on the cover. Is there anything important in this?" he asked.

For an answer, the Nephilim queen took the notebook back from her mate and tore out the pages, about fifteen in all. "Not anymore." There was an undertone of fury in her voice as she folded the papers and stuffed them down the front of her shirt.

"Alright. I'm not leaving this here since we might be able to get a print." he said.

Frowning in concern, his pairbond considered this. "My worry is that if we take it with us it will act like a homing beacon or worse. We don't know what it is or what it could do if it were triggered. I don't think we can risk bringing this to an ally KnightHawk, one of us should go back and bring someone here. Between the two of us, you are the faster flier. I can keep a safe watch from the roof."

Frowning, not knowing what to do from there, Chaos scratched his head. "My only concern is that there could be something useful that we can use to see if there are any prints. But I see your point. I'll be back as soon as I can with the sample collector." Chaos said and kissed his queen on the cheek. "I will return soon. Make sure you are out of sight on one of the rooftops. I vowed not to leave you alone but I fear here is no other way. Be safe until I return." with that he flew off to their camp site. "Swiftspy, I need you to give me a sample collector for finger prints." he said through the comm.  
"Will do and fly safe." she replied back.  
When Chaos got to the campsite, he took the sample collector and thanked Max with a small bow. She returned the gesture and sent him on his way, telling him not to keep their queen waiting long. Josh waved goodbye to him but had a frown of worry on his face when he didn't see his foster mother there as well. When KnightHawk was airborne again, he flew as fast as he could. He hated the fact Arianna was alone but it couldn't be helped. He loved her more and more with each passing day and it was becoming quite apparent to him that as he fitted into this Nephilim body, she became his world, his everything and he couldn't even think of living without her. Which is why when he thought of her possibly being in danger, his wings flew ever the faster.

The Queen's mood was a pensive one when her pairbond returned. She had her sling out and three bodies littered the alleyway standing next to the book. "I was right, thank Earth and Sky we didn't attempt to take it with us... From what I heard, it activates by touch. These ones showed up not long after you left. Don't worry, I left them alive. Remind me to see if I can replace some resources intelligence-wise later. I don't think I saved enough of it when we had to flee last time..." Worry crept into her expression, she still had nightmares about that night and usually avoided bringing it up whenever possible.

Chaos exhaled slowly, "Thank the skies you're alright." he said and gave her a soft look. "We can leave that here after I get a sample." he placed the sample collector on top of the smear and when he pulled it off after a few moments, he smirked when he saw a patch of a print. "We'll take this to Barbra, I'm sure they can get a match for the print."

Quickly climbing up the wall, the Nephilim queen took flight after hosting her bag on her shoulder. "We had better hurry." She said once he had joined her in the skies.

He nodded and within minutes they were back in Barbra's office. Everyone was sitting around talking about the latest hockey game between Gotham and Metropolis. When they walked in the room they all fell silent.  
"We need you to run this through forensics to see if you can find a match." said Chaos.  
"A sample?" she asked, taking it and looked to Arianna for an explanation.  
"Someone went though my bag and tried to put a tracer on the notebook I was using." The queen said, her mismatched eyes flashing in wrath. "We got prints, but didn't deem it wise to bring the notebook back with us." She sounded on the edge of resuming her foul mood. "I think a slight altering of plans is in order."

"Good call." said Barbra and sat down at her desk and folded her hands together. "What change did you have in mind?"

"We split up, my pairbond leaves with his group, but instead of escorting them act like they are looking for us and a bit nervous- if not scared- at the thought of doing so. My group will take a van and act like a few buddies- or a couple- fixing up their place, with me in tow because I can't be left alone." Now she looked at her pairbond and answered the question in his eyes. "I'm willing to risk it, we can't afford our enemies to guess we are working hand in hand with the police. The Mayor might have declared a truce, but it should look like an uneasy one, it might make them relax their guard a little."

"That's a good idea." said Barbra, nodding in approval. "I'll give you these," she said, reaching into the drawer at the head of the table and pulled out four ear comms. "Use these in case you need to contact me. I know there's only three of you but that might change within the next week or so."

While the Nephilim queen took the comms and nodded thanks, her mismatched eyes remained on her mate, his continued silence boded ill. "Pairbond?" She asked again. "You know that this is the only way at this point."

He stepped closer to her, the energy emitting off of him making the gesture seem that much more intimate. "I vowed to protect you. How am I supposed to do that if we split up?"

"As I said, I'll withdraw my wings- yes I remember the costs of doing so, I'll heal-and resume my human form. There can't be any hint that we are working hand in hand with them. If the alliance looks uneasy then it may allow our prey to grow bold and come out of hiding." She managed a slight smile. "Besides the humans under our protection need those things."

He exhaled deeply, recognizing defeat when he saw it. "What is SwiftSpy going to be doing?"

"She said something about tinkering with one of her projects, Joshua was hunting rabbits or fish- I'm not sure which- for tonight's stew." She took a deep breath and walked over to the table before addressing the officers. "If you are at all body shy, turn your backs." As she spoke, the Queen was loosening the ties on her top. "Don't be alarmed if you hear odd noises."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Odd noises?"

"I really think it would be better if I went with you, Swiftspy went with my group and someone else babysat Joshua." replied Chaos.

She removed her shirt and braced herself, spreading her wings to their full length. "This is _really_ going to hurt..." The brunette muttered to herself softly before answering her mate. "You know Joshua can't handle being separated from all of us at once, remember the last time? The kit is in my bag dear, I'll need you to guard my back."

Chaos snarled in anger. "I better get to kick some serious ass tonight." he watched as she pulled in her wings and grimced looking at it.

The queen yelped in pain and broke a talon-like nail she was gripping the table so hard. Shuddering in agony as she fell to her knees, sounds of pain escaped her throat despite the fact that her teeth were sunk into her bottom lip so hard it bled. Her wings slowly pulled up and folded themselves away under her skin.

The officers tried not to show any emotion but it was clear in their faces the sight disgusted them.

Chaos was at her side in seconds, helping her back up.

Her eyes were glazed over with pain. "Wipe it quickly." She managed to say. "By Earth and Sky I forgot how much this hurt!"

"Swanqueen...? Are you alright?" she didn't know how to take what just happened and by the look on her face, she looked just as torn. She bent down to Arianna's eye level. "Are you going to be alright?" she asked, putting a hand on her shoulder when Chaos came back with a wet cloth.

The Queen let out a breath. "It's been... a while. I've been too scared to try it ever since I got hurt at the mall." She managed in a tight voice. "It feels tight right now. I'll need a few minutes to readjust. Sky above and Earth below I beg you: let this be the last time I have to pass as a human!"

"From the way you seem to be suffering, I hope so too." said Officer Cooks.

"I injured myself not long ago." She said in between pained pauses and her hands tightened their white-knuckle hold with every careful swab. "Changing my form is much more painful for me than the others."

Chaos cleaned the wounds as carefully and as best he could. "They don't look bad this time." he said on a breath of relief.

Hissing in pain as her wings continued to move beneath her skin, the Nephilim Queen nodded and stood as best she could, wincing. "Commissioner, I don't suppose you have a wheelchair or a pair of crutches I can barrow?" She asked calmly as she turned with her mate's help to paw through her bag again, revealing to the officers what a Nephilim's back looked like when her wings were pulled in. To them, it looked like the slits were torn wounds then natural cuts before dressed again and she hid them with a light jacket she carried in her bag. "You may look now." She said, taking off her glasses and rummaging for her contacts while her pairbond fixed her hair so that it was in a bun instead of her trademark braid.

It was clear by their faces that each of the officers were damn glad it was her back and not theirs. "If it hurts so much why would you voluntarily pull them in?" asked Officer Kyle.

"To hide." She replied, looking at them with eyes that were now deep brown. "If you hadn't seen it, would you believe I wasn't a human if you passed me on the street? I hid from you for months before the Mayor took back the price on my head. Believe me, you would have never found me unless I wanted to be found." She sounded smug. "I want my prey to relax, I don't want them thinking I would work openly with humans."

Their eyebrows went up in surprise. They could have still been chasing her blindly if things hadn't turned out the way it had. Barbra sighed. "I'll get you a wheelchair." she replied and left the room for a few moments to retrieve the chair.

"Thank you." She gritted her teeth against the trembling in her legs as she leaned on her mate. "My apologies pairbond, been a while since I've stood without support, my legs aren't as strong as I thought they'd be..."

"That's alright." he said and welcomed the warmth from his mate. When Barbra came in with a chair, he helped her into it gently. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Just the van, then we'll leave. I'll leave first with my group, then the rest of you go. Remember, you don't like us and you _really_ don't want to meet us on our own ground, Might be pointless to act, but I'm not taking any chances."

"How is Chaos getting out of here? He's got wings."

"Back door or stage a chase." She smiled up at her mate. "Fancy beating the humans in a race?"

"Mmm sounds like fun." he smirked down at her.

She grinned. "How about the rest of you?" The Queen sounded pleased with the plan she'd just made up.

"Lets go get us some Nephilim." Officer Kyle clapped his rubbed them together. "Lets go."

She held out her hand out to her mate "Card please?"

He handed it to her and kissed her forhead. "See you at home darling."

"Fly safe beloved, no fancy tricks."

"Land with grace, always. And I'll try to not to show off." he went to Barbra's desk and grabed a random paper. "You'll get this back." he replied, using it as a fake reason why he was there and about to be chased.

"I better get it back." was all she said before she dismissed them all. "Go one now, have your fun and be careful. Don't hurt anyone."

"We'll give you a bit of a head start." said Kyle, smirking and itching to race the Nephilim.

"Sorry Officer Banks and Officer Kyle, you'll get a chance next time, right now we are going shopping." The Queen smiled innocently. "We'll be a while, but I'll try to be as quick as we can. Darling, if the child panics, I'll have my comm on so just give him yours."

"But!-" when he saw the look the commissionor gave him he only huffed and crossed his arms. "Fine." he said grudgingly.

"Let's go, I'll meet you out front. I don't want to take too long, Joshua doesn't like it when I'm away from the 'safe' lands..." She sighed and rolled out the door with a flinch.

Kyle and Banks strode out after her. Banks opened the exit for her while Kyle brought his cruiser around to make it easier for her to get in. "Ever been in the backseat of one of these?" he asked.

"No I have not." She replied quietly.

"It's fun. When you're not the criminal." said Banks and helped her in . "Alright, where to?" asked Kyle.

"House of improvement." She replied. "We'll be able to get most of what they need there."

Kyle nodded and waited for his partner to get in before taking off.

Two and a half hours later the queen finally looked tired as the officers drove her to the edge of the forest that bordered their territory and the humans they protected. She barely have time to step out of her chair and release her wings with a pained gasp of relief before her adopted human son wiggled out of his adopted aunt's arms and tackled her, his face tearstained as he held her as tight as he could. "Sweetheart..." She said, folding her wings around the crying boy protectively. "What's wrong?"

"You didn't come back..." he murmured as his tears rolled down his face. "Swifty said you'd be back but you didn't come back and now you're back." the babbling of a child who had been terrified of their worst fear could break anyone's heart.  
"See Josh, I told you she'd be back." said Max and rubbed his back for a moment, indicating that although they weren't blood related, she still saw him as her nephew.

"It took longer than I thought it would to get everything we needed." The queen's voice was gentle as she stroked Joshua's hair lightly. "I'm all right, they didn't hurt me. Was that what scared you, not seeing my wings right away?" She shifted them with a whisper of her feathers, ignoring the audience of humans.

Joshua nodded. "I didn't know it was you. I thought you changed and wanted to leave me."  
Looking over Joshua's head, the Queen met her sister's accusing eyes. "No dear, I wouldn't leave you. I was just in disguise from the bad people." She hugged the boy. "Everything is okay now, I'm not hurt."

"We have to talk." Max mouthed. It was clear she didn't like the change of plans, especially the fact she hadn't been told about them.

"Honey, will you go wash your face? We are going to see our friends today." She said lightly to the boy. "I won't be far away."

Joshua nodded, but was clearly reluctant to let her go before doing as she suggested, and went off to wash up.

When he was out of earshot Max gave her a hard look. "I don't ask much from you my Lady, I let you do your own thing but changing the plan and not letting me know about it isn't exactly going to help our situation! I can help better if let me in on the plans and the changes."

Nodding for her mate to follow the boy, when her mate had left, she led Max slightly away from the other humans. "There wasn't another choice, my notebook was bugged sister."

"You couldn't have commed me to let me know? It takes thirty seconds."

Now the Queen looked confused and took the Nephilim comm unit out of her ear, wincing slightly at the tenderness of her skin. "I had my comm unit in my ear the whole time, didn't you hear anything when I was at the meeting?" She asked.

"I heard the meeting and then when you went to get your things if there wasn't anything. No sound. I thought you turned it off to talk in private but when you didn't put it back in and you hadn't shown up here like we had planned... it just looked like you didn't trust me."

She shook her head. "Sister, if I was to turn it off, I would have told you so beforehand." She gave the comm to the falcon-winged Nephilim, then rubbed her ear gingerly. "Tender again..." The Queen sighed. "I _hate_ wearing it in my other ear..."

"Wait a damn second then. If you didn't turn it off, then it must have died or something." Max inspected it but the light was on. It was after a moment of theorizing that she knew what had happened. "Someone found our channel and hacked it. That's why I couldn't hear anything."

A sudden wave of fear almost took her legs out from under her, then the Queen threw back her head and gave a loud cry of warning that wasn't a human sound. It was a call to arms, a summon to battle, their danger call. "We're in trouble." she growled. "Arm yourself to the teeth."

Max nodded. "We need more people. The three of us are training to the T but we can't do this alone."

"It will be done, for now we use the humans Barbra gave to us. Our first priority is to protect the humans under our care." The words were grim. "The loyal ones must be guarded... A threat to them is a threat to us."

Max didn't get a chance to say anything more because Chaos arrived right at that moment with his wings flared and stiff posture. Joshua came a few seconds after, being a small boy still, his legs could only go so fast and his sling shot in hand.

"We are in trouble." The Queen repeated, her fury settling over her like a dark aura, then spoke in a louder voice to include the humans huddled under the tree. "Arm yourselves all of you, we might be heading into battle when we visit the loyal ones." Once she said that, she stomped into the cave to change her black uniform, the dried blood dark on her back when she had extended her wings upon arriving. "I think we will all need blood tonight..." The brunette muttered darkly, hissing softly as she undressed. "What's happened?" asked Chaos coming into the cave.

His mate hissed at his intrusion and her wings quivered in anger. "Our personal comm units were hacked, they heard _everything_ we talked about at the meetings." Her back was to him as she washed the blood off her back as best she could before getting out her black flying uniform.

His eyes narrowed. "How do you know its our enemy?"

"Because our sister heard nothing from my end, at all. That's why we was so angry when I returned."

Chaos rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Our plan is foiled now. We can come up with something else fast. We can leave. We don't have to stay here."

"I want to warn the humans under our care, they need the supplies and I don't want them hurt."

"Can Swiftspy trace anything?"

"I don't know, I don't think so though." As she spoke, she dressed in the black suit that was a warning to all that she wasn't in a peaceful mood.

Chaos could only sigh as he followed his Queen to sheer doom. Regardless of whether or not they won, he would stay by her side forever.

Max was less than happy to have discover there was a hacker that knew every move of theirs. Who knows what else they could have discovered, who knows how long they've had access to their comm link. She growled, vowing to destroy the person if they were on the enemy's side.

When the Queen reemerged, her midnight black uniform only seemed to make her aura even darker. Her gaze pierced the six police officers waiting, and she whistled sharply while snapping her fingers in a wordless command to attend to her. "We will take the supplies to them, but if a battle starts you are to protect the loyal ones and take them to safety." She said coldly, struggling to keep enough control to speak in a way that they could understand her, although she couldn't control the snarl in her voice.

The officers all nodded and marched off to their crusiers to get the supplies and weapons needed.

"Joshua, I'm going to take you to the rest of the human children. You'll be safe there." She told the boy who was her adoptive son.

Having never seen her like this, Joshua nodded, wariness clear in his eyes but his trust in her overrode everything else so he nodded obiedientaly.

"You." This was snapped at Kyle. "Joshua will ride with you until we get there." Her fingers flexed in deadly promise, without words telling him what would happen if the boy was hurt while in his care, then the queen turned to climb the tree with a boost of assistance from her mate before taking off.

"Lets go, you heard the lady!" called Officer Kyle, clapping his hands to make his men and women get a move on. To save himself the patience, he picked up Joshua and carried him to his cruiser. Chaos and Max followed their Queen, preparing to go into battle and shed blood if needed.

Not too far away from the chaos that he had arisen, the hacker sat in his apartment, waiting for the Nephilim to find him. He was in his mid thirties with a full head of dark hair and a rugged face. No one would be able to guess he was a spy for the Boss, as well as a traitor to him. He wanted out and the only way he knew how to do it was let the Nephilim come take him away and make it seem like they were forcing him to co-operate. His dark green eyes scanned the darkened sky and he grinned. Soon he would be out of this place. Alive or not.

When the Nephilim Queen landed, everyone who saw her immediately sank to their knees as a sign of their loyalty. They knew the queen was angry, respect was the only way to keep them alive. The ones near the edges took off running to get Tori and Samantha, and to warn the others that the Queen had arrived but was not in a good mood. Children shook a little, but didn't cry as they watched the group pass them.

Seconds later, someone pounded on his door. "The queen has arrived, coming this way, and she is angry! Get out here and kneel or I don't know what she'll do!"

The man came out of his apartment with his hands up. He bowed his head and knelt down. He felt the villages stares upon him but he didn't care. He just wanted his chance to talk to the queen.

Two small feet stopped in front of him, then an angry snarl. "Who is this one, his scent is not known to me." She sounded _pissed_.

Max grabbed him by his chin and forced his head up. "He's not from here." she confirmed.

"My Lady... I wish to speak." he said, knowing he best sound humble or else he'd get a limb taken off.

Stepping closer, she bent down and sniffed him carefully, then flared her wings in alarm before cupping them around her body in distaste. "Pairbond, your sense is better than my own, are you smelling what I am?"

Chaos sniffed him as well and in an instant had him pinned to the groud. "Enemy!"

"Wait! Please! Hear me out!"

"Search his house." The queen snapped to Swiftspy. "Let's get him inside pairbond, no sense in making a mess in public."

The man sighed with impatience as the Nephilim's did as they were asked.

"Here's all the wiring and devices used to hack and interfere with anything technology related." said Max and although she was pissed, she couldn't help but be impressed with the devices. Some of them were even self made.

"Can you tell if they were transmitted elsewhere?"

Max bent down and hacked into the computer to load the sender and recievers. "No one's recieved anything from here." her brow furrowed. "Which means he wanted to be found."

The queen snarled louder and roughly grabbed his chin, her talons digging into his skin as her blazing eyes danced with the Rage. "Talk." She purred. "You caused me a great deal of trouble today."

"I'm employeed with the Boss but I want out, I _need_ out. I've been watching the three of you and I knew you'd find out someone hacked and I knew you'd find me eventually. I assure you this is no trap or ploy set against you." he said looking directly into her eyes.

"And it never once occured in your little mind to come to us and just _ask_?" The Queen sounded disgusted, her ability to reason hanging by the thinest of threads.

"I am being watched, my lady. It's not that easy. If I came to you, instead of you to me, I would have been found out. I can't risk that."

She snarled louder. "There is more than one way to contact us you fool." She spat the last word like the vilest of curses.

"Not with the way I'm being watched." he snapped back. "My daughter's life is at stake."

Far from being appeased, this answer only seemed to make SwanQueen even angrier and the grip on the hacker's chin tightened.

Max stepped in and put a hand to her shoulder. "SwanQueen, his daughter. We must find out about his daughter."

Flipping her wings tighter to her body, the Nephilim Queen released him and retreated slowly. "If he lies, kill him." She managed.

"What wrong with your daughter?" Max asked, keeping an arrow to his throat.

"The boss has her prisioner. I can't get her out from his grasp alone. I'm being watched right now. I'm always watched. I only thank whtever god there is that they can't hear my conversations."

The Queen remained silent by the door, except for her breathing, you wouldn't know she was alive.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"You can't, but I wouldn't risk something like this. Listen, I know there could have been another way but I was desperate. I saw no other choice."

"Pairbond, can you handle this?" She asked, digging her talons into her palms. "I'm starving..."

Chaos nodded and bid her farwell. "SwiftSpy, will you do the questioning? I'll kill him if he lies." Max nodded and proceeded to ask question after question about his daughter, why he was in his predicament and why he came to them of all people.

Nodding in thanks the Nephilim Queen fled as quickly as she could, away from the humans watching, wanting only to hunt and eat.

An hour later when the queen returned the man was still cuffed but he was standing, showing Max his devices and what each one did and how they worked. Chaos was conversing with the police officers. After a moments he pointed to three and motioned for them to do what it was Chaos had instructed them to do with a flick of his arm in the direction they were supposed to go. Joshua was there playing with one of the girls from the village. When he saw his mother, he got up and bolted to her. "Mother!" his arms hugged around her legs and despite the fact she scared him earlier, the love and affection was still there.

The expression on the otherwise exhausted Nephilim queen's face was priceless- her face turning from haunted to a quiet joy- as she embraced the boy. "That is the first time you've ever called me that my child." Kyle overheard her say quietly. To her fellow Nephilim, the Queen's scent seemed soaked in blood, although it looked like none of it was hers.

Max leaned in and sniffed her for a moment when she noticed her queen was back. "How mad were you?" she asked in a tone only she could hear.

"Five or six rabbits, I think." The queen muttered back. "Raw." She hugged Joshua gently.

"Jeez." Max trailed off and turned back to the still cuffed man. "He's telling the truth by the way. He was being watched."

"Can he be of use to us?" She asked coolly, tightening her wings closer to her body as a sign of her distaste for the subject in question.

"Quite. There's a lot Tori and I can learn from his gadgets. Quite a few of them are really useful. One of them, for instance, was able to prove he was being monitored not far away from here. It was sort of like an infer-red device but it detected machine weapons. They glowed red. A few yards away there was a person there so one of Chaos' officers was able to sneak up on him. He's being brought here as we speak."

Nodding, she turned her attention back to her adopted son who was still clinging to her legs. "Sweetheart?" She asked, feeling him shake. "What's wrong?"

Joshua looked up into his mother's eyes, revealing he was torn between letting her go and asking what he truly desired. He went with the latter. "I want wings like you. I want to be like you so you won't ever leave me no matter what."

Surprised and no little shocked, she gently unwound the boy's arms from her legs, kneeling down to look him directly in the eyes. "Honey..."

"No, if I have wings, you'll love me more. There won't be any reason to leave me. I want to be your family." he said starting to sulk.

"When you are old enough and if you still want them." The queen said gently. "Having wings can't be taken back if you change your mind Joshua."

"I don't want to change my mind." he said, stomping his foot. "You won't want to be my mom anymore!"

"Now is not the time to discuss this my child." The Queen said firmly, unfazed by his tantrum.

Joshua wrapped his small arms around her and cried softly. "You never said you won't leave me." he said softly.

She held the child close. "I love you my dear one, when you are older you will understand." Wrapping her wings around the child in an embrace, she stroked his hair. "I will not make the Choice for you until are old enough to understand what it means. You might even find someone you love."

"But... Swifty told me the rules... if I can't have wings, you can't love me."

"But what if you don't want them when you are grown up sweetheart? Wouldn't you want to wait until you are all grown up before making that commitment?"

"No. I can find someone with wings. I want to know I can trust them like you trust KnigthHawk and Swifty." he replied. "Swifty said without trust, you have nothing. I want to trust and I can't do that if I have no way of doing it."

The queen sighed. "We will consider this tonight." She said finally, sounding troubled and a little sad.

Joshua smiled softly and nodded. He hugged his mother around her neck for a moment and then turned to face the man that had caused her such distress. "What are we doing with him?"

Hugging him back before rising to her feet again, feeling her face arrange itself into the expressionless mask, she eyed the subject of Joshua's question. "That remains to be seen."

A moment later Officers Cooks and Banks came back, holding up a man by each arm. He was short and fairly good looking but what Chaos and Arianna would notice the most, was his familiarity. This was the man that had trespassed onto their grounds to send them a message. Chaos' eyes burned hot. "Weren't you in a holding cell?" he asked.  
The man snickered. "You idiots, you can't hold someone in a cell for more than forty-eight hours for something like that. Besides, the Boss bailed me out. In case you didn't know, those are human rules."  
Chaos snarled. "Yeah? Well Nephilim rules are slightly different." he grabbed Officer Kyle's pocket knife and slashed the back of his ankles so whenever he walked, the wound would open. "You can crawl back to your Boss."

Far from stopping her pairbond, the Nephilim Queen stepped up beside her mate- unaffected by the man's screams. Stroking his arm to calm him, she regarded the man thoughtfully. "We should kill him. It was a mistake to let him go the first time, now we know how his owner found us to start with."

"Don't mind if I do." said Chaos and took a step forward towards his body.

"Wait! I know where to find him! No one else does but me!" he squealed.

"You are lying to save your own skin, hoping we will slip up again and allow you to escape." The Queen looked over her shoulder and addressed her sister. "What about him?"

"He has no idea. He only knows where one of the bases are but the Boss never shows there. His head lackys always bring a tv so the Boss can communicate through there."

She snarled softly. "Pairbond?"

"I say we kill this one," he said indicating to the quivering man. "and then torture that one for information." he said, his chest heaving with anger.

"Wait," said Max, standing infront of the man they caught. "I know he didn't have a great first impression but this man has a daughter. He really was being watched. SwanQueen, please. He's of great value to us."

"Are you sure he isn't just saying that?" Her mismatched eyes glittered dangerously, revealing that it wouldn't take much to slide back into the Rage.

"Give me twenty minutes." she said, although she could probably find what she needed in less time than that. She worked better, harder and faster under intense amounts of pressure.

Tucking her white wings tightly, she laid a hand on KnightHawk's arm, feeling him quiver beneath her touch. "Beloved..."

"You have twenty minutes." he snarled. Max nodded and he used the time she was gone to take deep breaths to calm down. "I'll kill them both if he's lying." he assured his pairbond. Within fifteen minutes Max came back with documents printed out and the parts she needed highlighted. "There, her name's Amy. His name is Jason Derulo."

The Nephilim Queen took the documents and read them carefully, still snarling softly her breath. "If they are forges, I can't tell." She finally answered.

"They're from the governments files."

"Anything is possible if you know the right people my sister..." She gave the papers to her mate before slowly starting to circle Jason as she thought about her options.

"What are you thinking?" asked Chaos.

"I don't think we have a choice, we'll need to keep him here until I decide what to do with him."

"His devices could be of use to us." she replied, showing her a couple and explaining hat they do.

"Still, would you trust him among the other humans under our care?" The queen asked.

"I see your point."

"The villiagers can watch him. They can give him food and keep him company if they wish." said Chaos, offering a solution.

Her lips tightened. "This one can live... for now. The rat is useless. Pairbond, Sister, do with him as you please." Her voice was cold as she issued the death sentance.

The two nodded, Chaos quickly lifting him in the air and flying away with him screaming for help. The officers remaining there looked horrified but they said nothing. Max turned to the bound man, "Get up. You will teach to me what each of your devices does."

The man nodded and Max motioned to Tori to follow since she was somewhat of a device inventor.

Taking a deep breath, the queen turned on her heel- or tried to- and left the house, trusting that SwiftSpy had things well in hand. Instead, she made her way to the elderly woman waiting patiently in the shade on the other side of the street. She smiled warmly at the woman and bowed slightly. "My apologies Samantha, the housecleaning took longer than I thought it would."

"That's quite alright my Lady Angel." said the elderly woman and touched her hands. "Come, I have a gift for you. It's not much, but I thought it suit you when I made it."

"And I have gifts for all of you as well that I hope will help you all. The six policemen accompanying us mean you no harm, they were assigned to aid us for the moment." She explained, keeping her pace to the woman at her side.

Samantha smiled slightly. "If you trust them, we will too." she said when she got to her destination, just outside her small home, she opened the door and went inside for just a moment to retrieve a white scarf folded neatly. She handed it to her. The feeling was utterly one of the softest she'd ever felt and the designs on it made it ever more the prettier.

The queen's face softened immediately. "Samantha, this is gorgeous!" Her voice was warm with praise. "I will treasure it."

"I hope it will do you some good in the winter." said the old woman with a kind smile, the wrinkles on her face softening.

Carefully putting the scarf in her bag, the Nephilim Queen gave Samantha a rare smile of joy. "Thank you very much, I hope my gift will please you as well." She replied. "Do you need to sit? You were waiting for a long time..."

"A seat would be welcomed." she replied. "Just seeing you happy is gift enough my child. An old coot like me doesn't need much anymore. I've had my days to receive possessions."

"Then please wait here, and I'll bring it to you in a bit. The children are getting nervous." Her voice was polite and respectful as she bowed slightly again as started back towards the crowd that had gathered around the van.

Kyle couldn't help but notice that no one would protect their people like Arianna. She would literally go to any measure, take anyone's life and go above and beyond to ensure the people who entrusted in her with their lives, remained safe. In a way, he admired her for it, in another, he thought it was foolish.

For the next hour and a half, the queen addressed the nervous crowd, explaining about the six policemen and their purpose- though she did not admit they were guards- as she passed out the many jugs of fresh, clean water along with their dispensers. Often walking with the person to be sure it was set up correctly and safely while asking about their lives and what was going on. The people waited their turn calmly, knowing she had no favorites. She knew every person by name, and they treated her with respect tinged with awe. Those stronger than her refused to let her get her hands dirty, instead making Kyle help out when a strong back was needed.

Kyle obliged without any argument. It was part of their mission to gain the trust of these people and if he had to use manual labor to do it, he would. It was a way for him to strike up conversation with the people he was helping to get to know them and in return, they were able to get to know him.

When one of the children pulled the 'Angel Queen' off to show her something, the latest man Kyle was helping smiled warmly at the pair until they were out of sight, amused that the older one was all but being dragged off in tow before speaking. "You think it strange how we treat her don't you stranger?"

"Not strange sir, just different. But it's understandable. She really loves you all." said Kyle, straightening when he had the water in place.

"Yes she does, and she has repaid the loyalty we gave her by devoting herself to give us all a better life as much as she can. She sews us clothes with her own hands, takes care of the children as though they were her own... Gotham would have been a better place if they hadn't tried hunting her like a dog..." He snorted. "She only takes life when there is danger in doing otherwise."

"She would certainly make a fine police officer." said Kyle and smirked. "She'd chase out the weak links in GPD." Kyle put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Don't worry though, we're on your side."

"I'm not worried, if Milady Angel thinks there is a threat, she will deal with it, and she rarely- if ever- lets a traitor live. Their ways are not the ways of the police force, so I don't think they would be happy if they were working closely with the department." The man was quite calm about this. "We are more safe under her protection than we have ever been, and when the time comes, those who were loyal to her people will be rewarded."

Kyle said nothing, thinking it best just to leave the topic alone for now. He went to the next water container and asked who else needed help putting it in.

By this time, the Nephilim Queen had returned. "Tori and Samantha are the only ones left. Tori gets two of the jugs, one for her work, one for personal use. Samantha gets the last one." She said after she thanked the father of the children.

Kyle nodded and kept to himself as he set up the water containers in Tori and Samantha's houses. When finished, he returned to the queen and asked, "Anything else we need to do?"  
"Not to my- Uh-oh..." The queen's eyes suddenly widened as she saw a very annoyed Tori approaching, her falcon-winged sister in tow and looking quite smug. "Was this truly necessary little sister?" She muttered, absently flexing her wings slightly.

Max gave her queen a look that stated, 'yes indeed it was neccessary' and watched as Tori motioned for the queen to turn around so she could inspect the wounds.

Holding back a sigh, she turned around and flexed her white wings slightly, grinding her teeth when they were touched. The blood had mostly dried, so it looked as though there were no slits.

Tori tsked and took out a vial. "Courtney made this. She said she;d been working on something to heal wounds or take away pain or some such nonsense. It's not toxic though so even if it does nothing it won't do anything bad to your body."

"I wasn't aware you two collaborated." She said, fighting to control her twitching wings.

"We met briefly while this was all going on. She told me to take it incase you or anyone else were injured."

"How much were you told?"

"SwiftSpy only supplied me with enough information to know that things almost got ot of hand that you were went into Rage and as a result, your back was affected."

"Our comms got hacked, and I had to withdraw my wings to pass as a human again to get here safely, that's why my back is a mess." She replied quietly, her voice only carrying to Tori's ears.

Tori held out the vial. "Drink it." she said and told Kyle to get a wet cloth so she could clean up her back.

The Nephilim Queen took the vial and tossed it down, swallowing the contents without pause for air. Wordlessly she gave the vial back, making a slight face.

Within a few minutes of cleaning the wound, Tori grinned. "Looks like Courtney's concoction actually works. The skin is starting to stitch itself together..."

"We need to be really careful with that, if the slits close all the way..."

"Don't worry, it seems to know when to stop." she said and ran a finger over the edge. "How does that feel?"

Carefully, the Queen tested her wings, being careful of the healed skin. "Good actually, I feel fine, a bowl of blood stew should take care of the rest."

Tori and Max smiled at one another. If they weren't in the middle of town they would have give one another a high five at their accomplishment.

Sighing the Queen looked at Tori. "Did you get the water yet?" She asked. "Samantha and you are the last ones."

Kyle's installing Samanatha's right now, I'm after her." said Tori and smiled. "So, what's next on the list of things to do?"

For the first time that day, the Queen allowed the mask to drop as she shifted her weight. "I think we are done here. It's been a long day and my work isn't done yet."

Max put a hand on Arianna and guided her away from the spreading crowd. "Come on, you should have some rest."

"I would like that, but..." She yawned, something she _never_ did around them, and allowed SwiftSpy to escort her. "Why was the crowd gathering? Did something new come up?"

"No, they just wanted to see you. You look exhausted and Tori and I made a show of tending to your back. Of course that's going to raise some form of curiosity in them." the yawn didn't go unnoticed by Max. "Come on, half an hour won't kill you."

"I am, that was the first time I've had to pass since that incident at the mall. It hurt more than I thought it would..." Concern clouded her face. "And it's my turn at the lab tonight..."

Max sighed. "Give it to me or KnightHawk then. You need rest more than any of us."

"I think I found the code, but I'm not certain, our creator changed the cipher again." She laid in the grass under the tree with another yawn. "It's more complex then the others."

Max sighed. "Well, rest tonight and tomorrow night, pick it back up again," said Max, sitting beside her sister.

In three heartbeats, the Nephilim queen was fast asleep. Some of the children, Joshua included, tiptoed to the pair and laid down for naps as well. They were protective too.

If there had been a painter among the group, the sight would have been one to surely capture on canvas. There lay a pretty winged girl with children resting on and around her, all fast asleep with a dark skinned winged girl sitting with one cheek resting on her knee, looking away from the girl as if deep in thought about something important.


	17. Learning limitations

Author's note: Once again my eternal thanks to Inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter. Sorry the update took so long, but I've been having problems with . Please enjoy the read!

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The Nephilim queen was once again burning the midnight oil at Wayne Manor. She had been there for hours going back and forth between Bruce's private personal library and the lab they had borrowed. A keen observer would have noted how she seemed to be trying to avoid walking on the flats of her feet. Currently however, the Queen was- once again- climbing the bookshelves. Scanning the shelves intently to be certain they had the information she required before making her selections. Muttering crossly under her breath about being surrounded by giants as she carefully dropped the books she wanted on the pillow nearby. Since she had taken off her shoes, braces and socks in order to keep from slipping, the red- almost raw- looking soles of her feet were clear to see.

"And people used to say I work too hard." Bruce Wayne stood at the entrance, hunched over from age but still managed to look regal.

Dropping another book, the queen flared her wings for balance, but managed somehow not to concuss herself for a second time as she climbed down, hissing softly when her feet touched the ground. "My apologies sir." She said in a stiff voice that betrayed her embarrassment at getting caught climbing something she shouldn't have. As always, if she was in pain the Queen was careful not to show it.

"Your foot. What happened?" he asked coming into the room.

"Feet." She corrected absently as she make her way over to the chair to retrieve her footwear. "It's nothing important sir, just another hurdle to jump."

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard. Isn't that why you have others? To help you out so you don't have to do everything."

"But there are things that only I can do, and..." The queen hesitated for a moment. "Something inside me says I have to hurry, that I'm running out of time."

"It pays to teach them. That way you're not alone. I learned that the hard way. Sometimes it had its perks... others... anyway... What are you working on?"

She shook her head. "They are still young, it hasn't been long since they were reborn." Gritting her teeth, she pulled her sock on her right foot. "Researching birds, trying to retrace my creator's steps."

"Of all the resources you have, you could ask for some assistance."

"No!" There was steel in voice and her mismatched eyes. "I will not give those who hunted me another weapon that could be used against my people when it is decided our usefulness has ended." From the way her mouth tightened, it was clear that the memories of those days were still raw. The Queen had neither forgiven or forgotten her treatment from the ones who should have been her allies from the beginning.

"I wasn't talking about those people. I was talking about the resources _you_ have at your disposal in your village."

Silent, the Nephilim Queen slowly sat up looking thoughtful. She stared at some point above Bruce's head. "It's almost sacrilege but... there might be just enough... barely... but enough." She murmured to herself.

You soon won't have a choice young one." he said and picked up the books. "Research?"

"Yes. Trying to piece together her notes. The ones I have aren't enough, and I'm trying my best to fill in the holes. Damn them for a thousand years!" She swore, suddenly springing to her feet with a pained snarl and started to pace again.

"Sit down." he ordered. "You are no use to anyone- especially your family- if you're hurt."

Reluctantly, she resumed her seat, flinching slightly. "It can't be helped."

"You're going to have to find a new habit. Pacing isn't for you."

"I spent nearly my whole like sitting down, hence my reluctance to do so at this stage in my life." She replied, picking up a brace and inspecting it with a frown. "Need to makeshift something... was hoping to put it off."

"Then walk with something to cushion your feet."

"The problem is that my feet are changing again and I need a new pair. Padding them would only be temporary... another thing to look up and arrange."

Bruce looked around the library and couldn't help but ponder on the similarities and differences between Arianna and Terry. They both looked out for those they cared for, Terry in secret, behind a mask, and Arianna openly exposing herself to protect them. The differences in them were endless but one thing he noticed was how differently they chose to protect those they cared for. Arianna welcomed those worthy to join her, Terry, like himself, preferred to work alone in the field. If you're alone in the field you don't have to worry about your partner getting hurt. Bruce looked at his shoes in sadness. He learned the hard way that working alone in the field was ultimately better than having one or two others to help. If there was no one else, there was no heartache.

While Bruce was pondering, a whimper escaped the queen's lips as she fought with her jerking foot. Apparently it didn't want to cooperate and go back in the brace. "By Earth and Sky you _will_ behave this time..." She muttered in wrath at the offending body part.

The whimper and one sided argument brought Bruce back from his thoughts. He sat down in a chair and motioned for her to go over to him. "There is a time to be rough and impatient, and there is a time to be gentle and persuading." he reach out for the brace.

"This body is very stubborn, fortunately, I'm even more so. Most of the time it behaves." She said in apology giving him the brace while glaring ominously at the foot which had misbehaved. "I though my limbs had grown out of this bad habit."

Bruce only smiled and gently put on the brace. "Don't worry, between you and Terry, I don't know who's more headstrong."

"Is he well?" The queen asked, handing him the brace for the other foot unasked.

"He's doing alright. I have him busy so he doesn't have much time to think about personal life." he said. "He wouldn't like it if he knew how run down you're making yourself."

"It can't be helped. I'm just trying to puzzle though the creator's design of my people. I've had little time to adapt and adjust. It's all I can do to cushion the shocks for the others. The purebloods will have it better."

"Purebloods?" he asked, sending her a questioning look.

"The first generation of true Nephilim, those will be born to their heritage rather than turned as I was."

"It makes sense to want to populate. By that time there should be little- if not any- protesters to your kind."

"I cannot say for sure, but I can only say that we were meant and bred to live apart from the humans."

"And yet you stay to protect us."

"It had to be done, and humans are too polite to take charge and clean it out." There was a bitter twist to her mouth. "Too human, if that makes any sense."

"I understand." he said and stood. "Are you going to take a break or what? I'll send Terry down here if I have to."

Shifting, she shoved her braced feet into her shoes, eyeing the pile of books waiting for her on the floor. "I still have to sort though those..."

"What happened? To you and your mother for this race to have been prompted?" asked Bruce, also eyeing the books.

Her mood grew solemn and sad as the Nephilim Queen stood and winced her way towards the window to look outside. "You've never had children, have you?"

Bruce thought for a moment, unable to answer right away. He'd had a feeling that one of his conquests had gotten pregnant but he never asked so it wasn't 100%. "No, I've never had children. I'd only be a disappointment to them if I had."

She nodded as if to herself, deep in her own thoughts. "It is very hard, it's even harder when a child has a disability and you as a parent have to watch that child struggle everyday."

"This was for you, wasn't it?" he asked, suddenly realizing why this was started. "You're mother started this because she didn't want you to struggle so she created a new race for you and others."

"Exactly. Splicing was intended as my mother's gift to her only child: a way for me- and others like me- to have a chance at freedom. She could never take away my disability, but she could- and did- give me a freedom that _no one_ could take away even if she died." A tear slid down her cheek. "It wasn't ever meant to be used for fun... Earth and Sky we _hated_ that man... That was the one man my mother promised I could kill without punishment if I wanted to, he was my prey."

Bruce said nothing for a moment, knowing exactly who she was referring to. "You missed your chance?" he asked. He couldn't very well tell her Terry had got to him first.

"Batman took matters into his own hands, he wasn't even courteous enough to keep him alive for me." The queen definitely sounded miffed about that rudeness.

"Batman had no idea you even existed."

"Nevertheless it was rude." She still wasn't looking at Bruce.

Bruce only sighed. "Why are you here? Why not let Batman take care of Gotham?"

"Batman doesn't vent or talk to you at all?" She sounded surprised.

"I want to hear it from you." he said, resting comfortably on his cane.

"Batman isn't enough anymore. The stink is too deep and- to be honest- there are people out there who can't be helped because all of his attention are on the big fish that make the entrances. He is also regrettably human and with all the disadvantages that implies." She shrugged one shoulder. "That was not my creator's view, but my own. She had your attitude and hated it whenever I came home after a flight covered in various cuts and bruises, I was not built for fighting- not that kind anyway."

"Then why do you? You have two others, one obviously meant for fighting and the other a technician that is more than capable of putting an arrow or two into someone's heart."

"Old habits die hard, I cannot ask my family to do something if I'm not prepared to do it myself. Besides, I don't get hurt much anymore, I was fragile as a fledgling and still learning my limits." As she spoke, the Nephilim Queen turned from the window and painfully made her way to the pile of book waiting on the floor. "The night's too short..." She murmured, eyeing the books thoughtfully. "Too bad the hiding place you provided isn't safe, or I would take these with me." Experimentally she knelt down to lift one of the heavier books and her eyebrows went up. "On second thought, perhaps not..."

Bruce only snorted in bemusement at her but not in a way that made fun of her. More of in the way that said that what she had said amused him. "It would seem like you're falling behind in recruiting more people to be Nephilim." he stated knowing that accusation alone would get her talking a bit more.

"No, merely being careful to choose the _right_ people. Besides that I need to be certain that the living conditions are stable before I take any others into my care. I will not give any one of my fledglings a death sentence merely because I need to fill the ranks..." Her lips tightened again as she eyed the books again. "I was lucky the first two times, but I can't count on that. Right now my top priorities are to keep the humans in charge at a distance while figuring out _which_ of the vials I saved contained _what _type of Nephilim. That and figure out the whole food thing _before_ things get nasty..." That last sentence was not meant for Bruce's ears.

"What food situation?" he asked, suddenly alarmed.

The look of chagrin on the queen's face was priceless, it looked as though she wanted to swear, but remembered at the last minute that she was a lady. "Human food is poison to my people."

"Ah... what can you eat?" he asked, realizing that this was supposed to be kept a secret.

"It depends on our type, the others get by well on rabbit, deer, and fish. I however need more than that to survive at my full potential. It's spring now, but gardening could be a serious issue. All it takes is one swipe of anything chemical and..." She spread her hands helplessly. "I can- and have- been eating the best I could, but I will not offer the Choice to anyone else until that has been resolved to my personal satisfaction."

Bruce looked her over critically. "What you're not telling the others is that your nutrition is lacking. If I'm correct in assuming you'd do anything for them, even ensure they're up to par in their food intake while yours lacks greatly, then they don't know that you're starving." he gave her a hard look. "Start gardening, they can take care of themselves enough for you to make sure you're doing okay. The last thing they need is a starved queen."

This earned Bruce a dirty look. "I would if I knew how! The creator had been experimenting with the growth of different foods that I could actually eat without being ill an hour later, but those notes- as well as the food samples- must have been destroyed. Believe me, I turned my home upside down and inside out looking for that set of notes before the humans tore it down! The night before I met Batman I even went so far as to break into the PD's lab to look, and I found nothing." She sounded disgusted with herself.

Bruce nodded in understanding. "What have you been doing to eat then? You must have some system going on. And your villagers, none of them knows how to grow a garden?"  
"I know how to start one, I kept several actually, but I don't feel safe enough to do it as long as the Narrows- the Viper Pit- keeps spewing their spawn. I've been eating fish, and the food you call 'organic' doesn't make me as sick as the normal food you humans eat." She said, still on one knee looking at one of the books.

"Speaking of the Narrows, how far are you to pulling everyone in?"

"A few more months maybe. The smaller prey have been tagged as bait, but the bigger game are more cautious, it will take a while for them to fall into the traps." She sounded calm about this, almost too much so.

"Do you have a plan?" he asked, scratching his chin. "You only have three of you. Unless you're invincible, a plan and three Nephilim aren't going to cut it."

"Right now the family has been preparing groundwork, while I've been focusing on other things, nothing more. We are only doing this once, so it has to be done right."

Bruce nodded. "As long as you know what you're doing."

The queen gave him a sharp glance, but said nothing as she stood with a few of the books in her arms. "There's no reason for you to stay up just because I am here."

"It's too random. You don't realize the damage they can do. They have guns, you have arrows." He continued, ignoring her attempt to politely dismiss him.

"We work with what we have, if we are random- though I would call it flexible, they can't pin us to a particular style." Her tone wasn't cold, but it was close.

"That doesn't stop them from beating you in battle because you refuse to acknowledge the fact that they are powerful and they do have weapons that can outdate yours." he replied, knowing it would anger her but also knowing she had to hear it.

"I'm not fighting on their terms, that's what's confusing them. They expected someone like batman or the police. Right now the vipers are jumpy and off balance, they are even killing each other trying to find out who the rat is. If it keeps up, they might just do the job for me." She shifted the books in her arms and took a step forward as though to leave the room, hissing softly in pain.

Bruce took the hint and nodded. "Well I hope it works for you. Your assistance has been greatly appreciated."

"I hope so." She replied, nodding her head respectfully before leaving the room, she was limping slightly, but the Nephilim's queen held her head up high with pride as she headed back to the lab.

The next few days were filled with nothing but strategy. Their 'prisoner' type person worked with everyone to help get things under way so he could get his family back. KnightHawk was keeping a closer eye on Arianna and every time he thought she was working herself too hard, he would step in and have her take a break. Between her son, mate, sister and the villagers, Arianna basically had no choice. Tori visited daily, well, as daily as she could with her other job in trying to get dirt on the higher 'clients'. She spent a lot of time with their 'prisoner' and by the looks of it, something was going on between them. At least that's what it looked like to an onlooker.  
Tori passed by the village the same day she visited their accomplice and when she spotted Arianna she smiled warmly, holding something behind her back. "Good afternoon SwanQueen."

Looking up, the brunette smiled in welcome as she looked up from the herb gardening book she was pouring over in puzzlement. "Good afternoon Tori. I hope that you are well. May I help you with something?" The queen learned that Tori was committed to keeping the queen on her feet- literally- and highly suspected that her pairbond had formed a team with Tori to keep his mate from working herself to death.

Tori's smile widened. "Actually I have something for you." she said and brought her device from behind her back. It didn't look like much in fact it didn't look like it could do anything. It was two pieces of metal with intricate designs. "I know it looks like junk but when you sit down, your feet ache from walking right?" She lifted Arianna's foot and put it under the metal. "These are skin sensitive so depending on how hot your feet are, it'll cool them down or if they're really cold, it'll warm them up like a blanket."

Her face lit up in relief as the warmth seeped in though the thick socks, she had taken off the heavy shoes and braces to allow for her feet to breathe, but had kept her socks on to hide the healing soles. "This is wonderful, my feet still get cold often even though I move around more than I used to. Thank you so much Tori." Her mismatched eyes glowed with thanks.  
Tori giggled, loving the appreciation Arianna was giving her. "Would it be alright if my niece stopped by the village later on?" she asked almost nervously.

The Queen's face grew withdrawn and serious as she thought about this, giving the matter her full attention as she weighed the options. "As long as you can keep an eye on her, yes. Things are jumpy as it is with my human bodyguards around lately."

Tori smiled widely and hugged her queen. "Thank you so much! I haven't been about to see her in quite a while. I can't wait to show her what I'm working on."

She held up her hand cautiously. "Just be discreet and be careful what you show her. I don't think Laura would betray us willingly, but what she doesn't know she can't tell."

"Are we still at war with the city or has it died down?"

A sad expression crossed her face. "Even though the mayor seems to have accepted us, all that has done is driven the war underground. Until we truly have a place of our own and can fend for ourselves, there will always be war Tori."  
Tori nodded. "Well whatever happens, you have my allegiance. As small as it is." she laughed and sat down beside her queen. "Any idea how you're going to defeat them?"

"My hope is that once we have a place of our own that we won't need to worry about it anymore. We'll simply close it off to any who aren't loyal to us while the humans in charge make it known that any who enter are subject to the Nephilim law and will not interfere. Leave the haters alone and they'll leave us alone. I've already decided that we are only cleaning up the city once, if they can't keep it clean, I'm not helping a second time." The queen stroked her braid in thought.

"Well, as it stands, there's only three of you... perhaps you wouldn't mind taking in a fourth?"  
She looked around carefully to be sure that none of the villagers were in earshot. "I'm planing on it, but I'm not sure what type they would be. The ones I have saved here were taken completely at random, and I'm still working on making more."

"It would have to depend on their personality would it not?" she asked, making sure her voice was just as hushed.  
For the first time, Tori saw the queen's mask come off as sorrow and doubt filled her mismatched eyes. "I honestly don't know Tori, it was never explained to me, all I know for sure is that it is the purest form of splicing. Right now I'm working blind day by day."

"Well, from everything we know so far, it depends on their personality and body structure. With Swiftspy and KnightHawk you got lucky. If we work out a logical chart for each bird and each person in mind, we could probably match them really well, possibly even perfectly."

"I have some ideas of types of birds I can use, but until I figure out the food issue, I won't give anyone else the Choice. I'm not trusting to luck a third time." She sighed and looked at her wrist thoughtfully. "Can you draw some blood?"

"My blood?" she asked, confused as to why the queen would want her blood.

The Queen shook her head. "No, mine. I need to know what I'm working with." Her lips tightened in distaste. "I hate needles, but I'm trusting you."

Tori warmed at the knowledge of her queen trusting her enough to let her stick something in her body that she absolutely hated. After she was handed a needle, she made sure there was absolutely no air in it before she found a vein and squeezed Arianna's arm firm enough for the blood to rush into the vein at the same time she put the needle in. "Hold the wound tight." she instructed once she got a vial of her blood. She quickly got a bandage and wrapped it around Arianna's arm. "You'll likely bruise there but it'll go away within days."  
"Bruises are nothing new." She took the vial and looked at it strangely, then seemed to come to a decision. "I need help Tori." The queen stated finally. "I've puzzled though all the creator's notes that I was able to save, but I can't make sense of the majority of them."

"I'll definitely do what I can." she said. "What is it you need?"

The queen frowned. "You realize that you'll be given the Choice if you decide to see those notes. I can't trust a human with that kind of information. It's too dangerous for us all otherwise." She said softly.

Tori all but tackle hugged Arianna. "Thank you..." she whispered, tears streaming down her face. She finally felt like something more than dirt. She felt important, wanted.

She flared her white wings for balance. "You've earned my trust, I've watched you very carefully since you arrived here Tori, and I would be proud to call you sister, but this is not an easy life."

Feeling on cloud nine, Tori smiled. "I'm used to the hard life." she replied and let go of her queen. "This is such an honour."

"Not like this, the three of us are on the very knife's edge of survival. Hunting gets us by but... well, there will need to be more than that very soon. I don't dare start a garden of any type when I'm not sure whose clomping around in the forest." She sighed and folded her wings tightly.

Tori spread her hands to indicate her own body. "I'm not exactly packing on the pounds either. Don't worry, I'll help out and do my share of hunting." she then really looked at Arianna and noticed a couple bones jutting. Her eyes widened. "I'm going to start a garden from home." she decided.

Now the queen frowned quietly. "Tori, you'll have to live with us once you are reborn. Living among humans isn't wise. We can't afford human attachments. You can still treat the humans, but we are your family now."

Tori nodded. "I understand. What if Samantha grew them? All we would have to do is go in, give her a gift and leave. Little interaction but we're still polite and still spend time with them."

For a moment, the Queen was silent, and you could tell she was running the possible problems with that idea though her mind to weigh the pros and the cons. Finally she nodded slowly. "That might be doable, if the plants were in pots and therefore transportable..." She said as though to herself.

"I know for a fact that the people are undoubtedly loyal to you. If Samantha were to grow the food, it could stay at someone's home where it could be guarded from people wanting to mess around with the plants."

"Loyalty isn't the question sister, but a Nephilim's body can't fully digest normal human food. All it takes is one spay of anything chemical and..." She let the sentence hang. "I've been working on making compost too."

"So what's the plan then? We can't starve. We have to find somewhere to hide the plants."

"If we only had- or could construct- a solar powered greenhouse, the food would grow faster and be safe from tampering with a little effort. Batman brings us organic food, it's not as good and I still get sick even if not as badly- but it's better than nothing right now." She stood and began to pace restlessly again, ignoring her healing feet. "We'll start small, potted herbs and greenery. Samantha can easily handle those I think..."

"We'll need a scientist for what you're thinking. I'm only a doctor, my knowledge can only go so far."

"Do you know of one who can be trusted?" She asked, her wings moving restlessly as she paced the ground.

Tori shook her head no. "I've never come across one worthy enough as of yet."

The queen shook her head in disappointment. "Then we'll just have to work with what we have for now. This is too important to trust to a stranger."

"I know." she replied. "You haven't met anyone that could be a good scientist? No one at all?"

Still1 looking troubled, the Nephilim queen shook her head again. "I was hoping to locate one of my creator's associates, but I hear that after the splicing they knew was banned, they were forced to leave Gotham. It's said that their memories were erased somehow, though I don't know if there is any truth to that. The only others I know who have any knowledge peddle it on the black market, and I don't think I need to express my feelings about _that_..."

Tori chuckled and nodded. "We'll get by fine enough. Besides, you've been lucky enough to find a doctor, a computer tech and a hunter."  
"Yes, I think that we will all adapt just fine." The queen said absently, although she still looked troubled. "I could use more men though, a pity the creator decided- in whatever wisdom she was in at the time- not to tamper with that system..."

Tori smiled at that. "Yeah...good thing though. There'd be too much testosterone otherwise."

She shook her head, her mind still on the other problem and not paying attention to the current conversation. "You won't be thinking that the first time you go into heat after you are reborn. Trust me. Besides, we need men for the gene pool."

"I... go into heat? I won't be able to use just anyone?"

"No, it has to be a Nephilim, being touched by a human while in that state will only hurt and possibly make it worse."

"I see, this could be a problem then... we need more men!"

"I help on occasion, but my mate doesn't like it very much. It is my duty through, Swiftspy can't afford to be nesting right now." She sighed. "The problem is that aside from my mate, I haven't found any acceptable male candidates..."  
"We'll need to go on a hunt for some. During my spare time away from the research I'll gather up men I find are suitable and you can filter them out." she offered scratching her head to see if there was possibly a better way of doing things but she found none.

"I know my requirements are strict, but I'm not going to lessen them. There's a very good reason why I made those choices. If men think living the fast life is more important, then they do not deserve the chance to be a member of our race. I would rather have a handful of good ones then a load of bad apples." The queen looked tired again. "The population will even itself out eventually..."

"Most definitely. Especially when mating season takes place. Is there a mating season for us?" she asked, rethinking her other statement.

"Every month, same as a human's, but with better planning and control. I'm sure that with so many of us though it will be around the same time."

"Oh boy... that will certainly be interesting." she replied. "Tomorrow I'll go man hunting."

Now the Queen raised her hand in caution. "Let's wait until we get the food thing stable first as well as break the Creator's code. No sense in feeling them out only to make them cool their heels till they change their minds."

Tori nodded. "Alright. When did you want to start working on the codes? Now that I think about it, I can start today if you wanted."

The brunette frowned. "First let me discuss this with the others and make sure that we have enough supplies, then I'll formally give you the Choice in front of them. No sense starting with bad feelings." She slipped the plates off her feet and reached for her braces.

"Will do." Tori stood and brushed the dirt off her backside. "Laura will be here soon, I'm going to go meet her in the village. I'll see you later SwanQueen. And thanks again."

Nodding absently, she stood after putting on her shoes and braces before looking for her mate. When she found him, he was with some of their police guards. "Problem?" She asked after greeting them.

KnightHawk turned to his mate and smiled. "Nothing we can't handle, my love."

The Nephilim queen smiled back and nodded. "An... interesting... situation has come up. Do you know where our sister is? I would like to discuss this with the two of you in private if neither of you are busy." Although the phasing was polite and courteous, this was clearly an order of attendance.

He raised an eyebrow. "A situation?" he turned to the two officers. "I trust you can handle it from here?" The two nodded and continued the discussion amongst themselves. "What's happened?" he asked her in a hushed tone.

She shook her head silently, telling him without words that this was strictly a Nephilim matter and not to be discussed in public among the humans.

Taking the hint, KnightHawk stayed silent until they got to their hideout where SwiftSpy was teaching Josh a few things about the computer. When she saw them she smiled. "Anything new and exciting?" she asked.

"An interesting situation has come up and I want your thoughts before I decide what to do." The queen said calmly, smiling at her human son in greeting.

He smiled back and when SwiftSpy took him off her lap to go talk with SwanQueen and KnightHawk, he stayed at the computer to click on random things.

Assured all was well with the child, the Queen led them to the fire and took her seat on a log that was raised slightly higher than the others. That move alone meant that she was speaking as their queen and not as their equal. "How do the two of you feel about Tori?" She asked.

SwiftSpy looked skyward. "She's nice. Definitely smart and has her work cut out for her." KnightHawk shrugged. "She's alright."

"I need help decoding the Creator's notes, and I feel it's too dangerous to allow a human to see them." The Queen kept her face and voice dispassionate. "Do you believe Tori can be offered the Choice?"

They both sat there for a moment, thinking it over. "No." said KnightHawk.

"Why not? She's proved herself to be useful."

"Because she used to work for the man were trying to take down. If she can go against him, she can go against us."

"She won't."

"You don't know that." he hissed.

"You also don't know that she'll betray us. We've given her a new life. Something she can call home, sanctuary. Only a fool would give that up."

SwanQueen kept silent, watching the discussion but not adding to it, allowing them to forget her presence.

"You haven't known her that long to make the assumption that she's trustworthy."

"Neither have you, KnightHawk. You're being such a hypocrite."

"You don't know anything about her."

"I know enough to know that she's been nothing but helpful to the three of us. Without her, we wouldn't be so far into the viper nest. We'd maybe scratch the edges." KnightHawk narrowed his eyes, knowing he couldn't argue that one. After a few moments of silence and sighed. "You're right." he then turned to SwanQueen. "You can give her the Choice but the moment she does something wrong, I clip her wings. It should be a written law for all new Nephilim to follow."

"If you recall, I told you and Swiftspy the same thing when I offered you the Choice not so long ago." The Queen reminded them gently.

They nodded, remembering. "Alright then, it's settled. Tori gets the Choice." said SwiftSpy with a small clap.

She took a deep breath. "KnightHawk, may I have some credits from you? I need to go shopping tomorrow." The Queen already knew this was going to cause an uproar and wanted it over with.

KnightHawk nodded with his arms crossed, obviously not satisfied with the outcome and dug into his pocket for the credits Arianna needed.

"Thank you very much." She said quietly, taking the credits he'd handed her without counting them. "I'll be buying more pots and seeds to start a garden."

"Do you need any assistance?" asked KnightHawk.

"If you feel like coming with me I would welcome the company, otherwise I was going to take one of the escorts since I'm not exactly sure what I was going to get." She smiled and tucked her wings in closer in an automatic attempt to hide her thinness.

KnightHawk only gave her attempt a disapproving look. "Take an escort," he said and caressed one of her wings. "I have something I must attend to that cannot be delayed."

His mate froze in mid-shiver. "Something I need to be aware of?" She asked. "And did you have a preference as far as who I would take with me?"

"Just something on the outskirts of the village. It appears our 'guest' really is in the deep end." he replied. "Don't worry, I'm taking care of it. However I need all the officers I can get and the Commissioner isn't being in the least bit co-operative about it. Do you know anyone at all that you can trust that knows any form of martial arts?"

The queen looked thoughtful. "There _is_ one that I know of, but neither of you liked her very much. Tori's niece Laura. However, I'm not certain how well trained she is."

SwiftSpy's look turned deadly. "You can't be serious."  
KnightHawk' eyes narrowed in thought. "Wait now, this could be good. If SwanQueen spends time with the niece, she could find out if Tori's intentions are pure. You can tell when someone's lying more by their reactions than just by assuming."  
The falcon-winged Nephilim crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't like it."  
KnightHawk turned to her with a narrowed look. "Now look whose on the opposite side. I happen to trust Laura more than Tori."  
"I thought you didn't like Laura-"  
"I don't but liking someone and trusting someone are two different things."

SwiftSpy huffed. "Fine, she'll take Laura with her but if anything happens from her hand, it's on you." she hissed. At times she really liked KnightHawk but it was times like these where they had their disagreements that they really couldn't stand one another.  
"What is it with you and her anyway? You've met her once and since then you've hated her guts."  
"I just don't trust her." was the only thing SwiftSpy supplied but a slight blush rose onto her cheeks and she turned away so they wouldn't see.

KnightHawk cocked his head to the side but said nothing, not wanting to press the matter. He turned to his queen, "Okay, you can go with Laura but take your comm unit so if anything does go wrong, SwiftSpy and I will know."

"Did SwiftSpy fix them so that they are now tamperproof?" The queen asked. She had been deeply unnerved by the near catastrophe that had occurred when their 'guest' had messed around with them, and had since refused to wear her own unit even when out among the humans that they had deemed as unsafe.

KnightHawk nodded. "Yeah they both took care of them last night."

This didn't seem to give their queen any comfort at all, seeing as her eyes narrowed. "SwiftSpy..."

"She and the 'guest' fixed them but they aren't tamperproof, believe me, they tried. However she set a code on the channel that only she knows to get through if absolutely needed." Her mate replied before SwiftSpy could answer their queen.

The queen still wasn't happy about this. "There's something about him I don't like, I can't put my finger on it, but I still don't trust him." She was referring to their 'guest'.

"There's nothing wrong with him. I've questioned him on everything possible. He seems really genuine." said SwiftSpy then sighed. "But every time I ask about his daughter he shuts up. I don't know, maybe he's hiding more about her."

"Maybe that's it, but again, I can't put my finger on it." She shrugged. "All I know is that I personally wouldn't turn my back to him." This saying took on a while new meaning when a Nephilim spoke it.  
SwiftSpy only nodded, knowing she should heed her queen's words but at the same time she couldn't help but think that he posed no threat. "I'm going to check on the villagers. I'm sure they have a few more things they need us to get them."

"Go ahead. Check on Joshua first." She sighed. "I think I'm going to go see Laura and Tori. I found a condemned building in the city that I want to see if I can salvage anything from." Rubbing her head as though it hurt, the Queen blew a kiss to her son and turned to climb the tree nearby.

Laura walked down the main street of the village, saying hello to everyone she came across, especially the kids. When one came up to her and asked her to play ball, Laura laughed and said, "I'd love to play ball." what she didn't notice was the Nephilim Queen land behind her. When the child bowed and said hello to her queen, Laura turned around and with a warm smile, bowed her head. "Good afternoon SwanQueen."  
"Good afternoon Laura." She said kindly, patting the child who had greeted her on the head. "Tori was hoping you would visit. Are you by chance busy this afternoon and evening?"

"For you I'm always free." the redhead replied. "How can I be of assistance?"

"I found a condemned building in the city but I'd like to see if there is anything useful in there before it's torn down and I was wondering if you'd like to come help and act as an extra set of hands." SwanQueen replied. "Usually I carry what I need with me, but tonight I'm taking some extra odds and ends." She didn't add that she couldn't carry a book bag in the normal fashion because of her wings.

Laura's smile widened. "I would love to." she turned to the child and bent down. "I can't play ball now, but I promise that when I come back, if it's not too late, we can play ball then okay?"  
The child looked saddened by the delay but she nodded anyways and ran off to play with her other friends. Laura straightened and stiffened when she looked past Arianna's shoulder. Behind the Queen, SwiftSpy stood straight, her bow in hand, her eyes piercing Laura's, letting her know she wasn't someone to mess with and for the life of her, Laura couldn't figure out why the dark skinned Nephilim hated her so much.

Turning slightly the queen looked at Swiftspy and raised her eyebrow. "Sister? I thought you were watching Joshua tonight?"

"I'm checking up on the village remember?" she answered and handed Arianna a pouch. "Josh made it for you. He's attempting at making sweets out of tree honey." she smiled small, her eyes never leaving Laura's.

The queen opened the pouch. "I didn't know there were bees near us, was he hurt?" She popped a honey-dipped roasted nut in her mouth and made a slight face. "A little sweet."

SwiftSpy grinned. "That's the idea. Though I'm sure he can tone down on the sweetness. He said he soaked it for an hour, but no he wasn't hurt. He's a very smart five year old."

"Please advise my son that a little goes a long way." With an effort, she swallowed it. "Excuse me, I need a drink and to get my kit." Without waiting for an answer, the queen walked- not ran- swiftly down the street towards Tori's home and office.  
SwiftSpy turned to face Laura, who cocked her head to the side, as if contemplating the Nephilim before her. "What?" she asked.  
"Nothing, just wondering why you hate me so much." she replied without missing a beat.  
"I don't trust you." was the only thing she offered before turning her back on the redhead to go deeper into the village.  
"You don't even know me."  
"There's nothing to know." Laura left it at that, clearly she was hiding something or something was wrong and it puzzled Laura to no end. What could she have done to upset SwiftSpy so badly?

A few minutes later, the Nephilim Queen returned, straining to carry a heavy black duffel bag. "My apologies for taking so long."

Laura only smiled and took the bag she was obviously struggling with. "Don't worry about it. Where is this place?" she asked, slinging the bag over her shoulder.

"I'll guide you from the skies, but it'll be a long way for you I'm afraid." As she spoke, the queen was heading for the nearest ladder that had been left there for her use.

When they got to the abandoned building, Laura made a face. "What exactly are you hoping to find here?" she asked once the queen landed.

"I'm hoping to salvage anything I can, but especially building materials." As she spoke, the brunette frowned as she folded her wings around her. "Since this building is condemned, I'm hoping no one will mind if I pick it apart."

"From the smell of it, no one should even be in here." Laura replied and shuddered, hoping Arianna was quick about it.

"Don't be so quick to judge." The queen advised, pushing open the remains of the door and frowning. "Hm... I thought I saw bricks earlier..." Looking lost in thought, she slipped inside, the darkness swallowing her easily as though she was born to it.

"SwanQueen, don't just go in! What if someone's actually in here?" she hissed and went in after her. When her eyes adjusted to the dark exterior, she stayed close to the queen, though she was hyper aware of the possibility of them both being totally alone.

"There isn't, I checked earlier today." She replied absently. Seeing a series of boards that appeared to be covering a large hole in the floor, she nudged one with a foot before kneeling to pull one of them towards her for a closer examination. "These look solid..."

Confused, Laura raised an eyebrow. "Why does it matter?" the teen had no idea about Arianna's eating habits and that she ate like a herbivore than anything else.

"Because the family and I need to build some things, things that are so important that there must be no mistakes." The queen ran her hand down the board she was inspecting, tapping it carefully with her slender fingers.

Laura didn't press again but she did walk around and pick up random pieces of wood and pipe and brought them before the queen to inspect. "Are these okay?"

Taking the black bag from Laura, she pulled out a thick pair of gloves and tossed them to her human companion before pulling out another pair for herself. "Put those on before you get hurt." Reaching into the bag again, she pulled out a headlamp, a tape measure, a notebook and a pen. Within minutes, she was scribbling rapidly. There was an intensity to her work that suggested that this project meant life or death to the queen of the Nephilim.

The human did as instructed and put on the gloves. "I'll take these outside." she picked up the pieces of wood and pipe that Arianna was finished with and headed for the door to stack them in a neat pile just outside the door.

"Thank you for being so helpful Laura." She replied absently, not looking up from her scribbling.

"Why exactly do you have her here with you? She's not Nephilim and as I do recall, she's not from the village." the voice from the dark morphed into a figure. Batman dropped from the ceiling quietly in front of Arianna.

The Nephilim Queen stood quickly, snapping her pen in her startlement as she quickly dropped it to save the notebook from the spilled ink. "That's none of your concern." Her voice was a whiplash from mingled fright and vertigo from moving so fast in her weakened state.

Batman raised an eyebrow. "I didn't mean to startle you." was all he offered, ignoring her cold tone. "I suppose she could be a Nephilim, I mean, why else would you have her here with you?"

Shaking her head slightly to clear it, she eyed him. "I needed help tonight and she agreed to play body guard on behalf of my pairbond." The queen did not correct him, as she felt that he'd been rude for asking.

"I see. Anyways, I need you two to clear out, I'm looking for someone who came by this area and if he's still here it could mean the two of you getting hurt and I don't have time to sit here and make sure you don't get injured."

Idly opening and closing her wings with a snap, the Queen opened the little bag and took a honey covered nut out. Popping it in her mouth, she made a face, as she thought about Batman's words. "We aren't finished here yet, and this is my only chance to poke though this building." The brunette said finally. "It could be torn down at any time, and I'm still looking for a pile of bricks I saw yesterday." Looking up, the Nephilim queen was eyeing a rather thick beam above their heads. Closing her eyes for a moment, she pondered it. "Wonder if I could get that too..."

"Look, what part of, it's dangerous here and you could be killed don't you understand? If I turn my back and you get hurt, I'll never forgive myself. You aren't like KnightHawk, SwanQueen, you're not a warrior."

"I understand that starving to death is not a way I want to die!" The Queen exploded as her wings snapped open and her fingers flexed like claws. She had finally lost her patience with this human fly that kept stinging her. "No, I am not a fighter, but this is something I _have_ to do as quickly as I can before another fledging is 'reborn'. I've been too lax in taking what I need from their leavings, and I'm not going to let this chance slide by until I get what I need."

"Then you need to do it fast and now before someone other than you get hurt! Laura isn't a vigilante like me or a Nephilim like you! You're putting innocent lives in danger for something that could have been done in the daylight!"

The Queen snarled and turned on heel to head into the next room of the building. Her stomach seemed to echo her snarl.

Batman took a deep breath and held up his hands. "Fine, stay here but don't say I didn't warn you if you get hurt."  
"Batman?" Laura returned and had caught the last of the conversation. "Someone's going to get hurt?"  
"Someone I'm chasing is here somewhere."  
"And you don't think we can handle ourselves? Let me tell you, Batman, that we're just fine on our own."  
Batman visibly held on to his temper by a thread and turned on his heel, muttering about girls and their need to feel tough.  
Laura went into the next room with caution and spotted Arianna. "He's gone."

"I finally found the bricks, most of then are in good shape, and I can find a use for the others..." The queen sighed as she sorted. "Normally I'd be more patient with the human, but there won't be another chance to come back here. We will have a new member soon, but once a new fledgling is 'born', we try to stay close together until they are steady in our ways. Sometimes it takes a while to adjust."

"A new fledging? Who?" asked the teen, not yet having had the chance to talk to her aunt to find out the news.

"I would rather not say." The Queen did not look up. "We haven't offered the Choice yet, and there is always the chance that the person will refuse. Not everyone can pay the price that this cost, for some that price is far too high." She rubbed her head as though it hurt.

Laura nodded. "Fair enough. Which ones are we taking?" she asked, viewing the variety of bricks.

"Ideally, all of them but... hold on." Making a face, she stood and walked back to her black bag to retrieve her ear piece. "Sister? Pairbond? Anyone awake?" She asked once she fitted it in her ear.

"Yeah I'm awake." was said in union. "What's up?" asked KnightHawk.

The queen made a face and allowed chagrin to fill her voice. "Well, I'm doing the scan of the abandoned building with Laura and there seems to be more here than I thought. I've only looked in two rooms and I already have a whole pile of bricks and some wood planks which I believe are still sound. Also found some discarded tools."

"You need help carrying it all?" asked SwiftSpy.  
"I'll send some of the villagers as well. We'll be over soon." Her pairbond added.

"Thank you and please be careful, Batman's already tried to chase me out once today. He said something about stalking someone who was haunting this area." She growled softly. "I told him that I didn't intend to leave until this area was picked clean of everything useful."

"I may not be fond of him but he isn't one to be ignored when he's thinking of your safety." replied KnightHawk.  
"It can't be helped love, during the day the humans swarm over these places like maggots, and considering that the building could be on the demo list any day now, I wanted to get everything now while we could. With luck, there might not be enough wood for the greenhouse, but there should be enough bricks for that oven you wanted my love." Her stomach growled again, louder this time. "I don't think it would take long with everyone helping."

KnightHawk could only sigh. When his love was set on something, she was set on it. "Just be careful until we get there."

"Aren't I always?" She asked with a smile. "Don't worry, I won't jump in the hole until you get here."

KnightHawk smirked and she could hear it through the microphone. "That's my Angel."

"Just hurry up before I have to fight batman off a second time." She replied. "Fly safe."

KnightHawk and SwiftSpy were the first ones to arrive. They went in and immediately found Arianna and Laura organizing the bricks and supplies needed. A few of the villagers soon came and the room was crowded with people wanting to help their Queen.  
"Just tell us what you need brought back, your highness." said one of the villagers.

"Pairbond, take a few men outside and examine the boards that Laura and I left out there please. I'd like you to make certain that they are sound, Sister, can you prowl some of the other rooms? You might find something that I missed. A few of you can help pack up these bricks." The queen sounded calm, but her stance as she got to her feet was slightly tense.

SwiftSpy stepped forward so she was almost touching and whispered so only she could hear, "Are you okay?" The rest of them went to do as they were asked with KnightHawk listening into his comm. as the two girls talked.

The brunette smiled affectionately at her falcon-winged sister. "I'm fine, just the feet talking to me again. Be careful little sister, let's get this done quickly before Batman returns and I decide to use him as a scratching post."

SwiftSpy smiled back and shot Laura a look that told her that she'd better watch out for Arianna. Laura mockingly saluted and shook her head when SwiftSpy had her back to her. "Okay, what now?" she asked.

"Let's go outside and scout around there, I don't want to be in anyone's way in here." The Queen said after a minute of thought as she peeled off the heavy gloves and shook out her damp hands. Holding the gloves in one hand, she led the way outside, limping slightly. "Tori's very happy in the village, she's healthier at any rate." She said as she rounded a corner.

Laura smiled. "I know, I've been able to talk to her on the phone a couple times. She's safe with you and I really appreciate you taking her in."

She turned to smile at Laura. "We each got something out of it, the ones under my protection needed something I could not provide myself, and Tori got a fresh start doing what is her heart's desire. It was a fair exchange."

Before Laura could reply, a creak was heard on the other side of the room. Laura stepped in front of Arianna, her stance still casual but it could easily turn offensive if need be. The creak was heard again and it was then that they realized whoever was there, was behind the wall. Heart pounding in adrenaline and fear, Laura went to the wall and examined it very carefully. When she spotted what she was looking for she turned to Arianna to come closer. She pointed to the seems in the wall and it became very clear that there was a door right in front of them. The redhead pressed her hands to the wall and with a quiet deep breath, she pushed open the door. No one was behind it like she had expected to find but there was a staircase, so whatever or whoever was there in the house with them, was lurking down those stairs.

Cupping a hand to her ear, the Queen didn't hesitate. "Pairbond I need you, Sister you might want to come as well. Now. We are on the right side of the building and I think we found a lair. Too bad Batman's a loner, I think this was what he was looking for." She reached out and gripped Laura's shoulder, her talons barely brushing the skin, but sharp enough to give someone pause. "Good work."

"Thank you." replied Laura, her expression grateful for the compliment but not at all eased. Within moments KnightHawk and SwiftSpy were by the Queen's side.  
"You found this?" asked KnightHawk, frowning at the staircase. When Laura nodded in confirmation he looked her in the eye. "Thank you, you did good." SwiftSpy however, said nothing, just gave her a nod and fell in line behind KnightHawk, she let him lead the way with SwanQueen behind SwiftSpy and Laura following behind the brunette in case someone decided to be sneaky and attack from behind.

Grinding her teeth, the Nephilim queen swallowed her pride and followed her fledglings. Her body was as tense as a bow ready to fire. As a rule, she _hated_ confined spaces. "How far down is this?" Her voice was a tight whisper as she concentrated on breathing evenly.

Even though fear rose up in KnightHawk with every step he took, he kept his voice as even as possible as he replied, "I'm not sure, can't be too much further..." he was cut short however, by the sound of a door slamming shut not too far from where they stood. With his adrenaline now pulsing through his veins, KnightHawk shot forward and making an estimated guess, slammed his whole body into where he thought the door might be. He was pleasantly surprised and quite pleased when the door busted down but what awaited the four of them at the bottom wasn't something they had expected to find.  
Seven men armed to the bone, aimed a gun at all four of them. There was a man in the middle, he was unarmed and just by looking, just by seeing that victorious smirk on his face made SwanQueen, SwiftSpy and KnightHawk realize that they were standing before the Boss.

The Nephilim Queen spread her wings slightly in the confined space, protecting Laura from view. Her mismatched eyes flashed with anger. "Turning her head slightly to look over her shoulder, she nodded once. "Go Laura. This isn't your fight." Her voice was quiet so that only Laura could hear it.

"I'm not going to run like a coward." she replied just as quietly.

"Someone needs to get out of here to find Batman, and you are the only one of us who they haven't noticed." She hissed back. "They want us alive, you they'll just kill."

Her back went rigid, torn between seeing reason and following the orders and staying to try and help. But the Nephilim queen was right, she was the only one they hadn't seen and if she could get a hold of Batman, they wouldn't be so out numbered. "Okay, but I'm coming back with him." with that the redhead bolted up the stairs, each second passing feeling like a thousand minutes.

Shifting her body slightly, the brunette now turned her full attention to the Boss. "That look doesn't suit you." She said calmly, referring to the smirk on his face.

The Boss' grin only widened. "You must be the infamous SwanQueen. Yes... I've heard a lot about you."

She hissed upon hearing her Nephilim name come from his mouth without her permission. "What do you want?" The Queen asked instead.

He chuckled. "What do I want..." he said as if contemplating the question. "I want many things in this life, SwanQueen," he emphasized her name. "you and your little band of human bird misfits are one of them."

Stiffening in outrage, the Queen laid her slender hand on her sister's shoulder to both calm her and herself. "Not interested." She snapped coolly. "Pairbond?"

"Nor I." he replied, his back straight.  
The Boss only laughed. "I have seven armed men in this room, what can you possibly do to stop me?"

"You want us alive." She replied calmly, calling his bluff. "And you wouldn't dare cripple us for fear of permanent damage."

"Don't test me, girl." he said, humor gone from his gaze. "I may want you alive but there's nothing worse than an untamed animal."

"What do you want with me and mine?" The Nephilim Queen asked instead, ignoring the threat while her pairbond and sister shifted closer, ready to protect their queen.

"Your services, of course. If nothing more than to have an alliance with the greatest thing since Batman." he said and grinned widely. "I highly recommend you say yes."  
"We are contracted elsewhere." The Queen snapped coldly. Little did she know just how much she looked like her Mother and Creator at that moment with her mismatched eyes blazing in defiance while her braid tumbled down her back between her outspread white wings.

"We're taking you today whether you like it or not, SwanQueen. Men, be at the ready." Seven guns unlocked and were cocked, each one aiming at a deadlier place than last time.

"Do not call me by my name, you haven't earned that privilege human." She snarled. "And we have other things to do than play with you."

The Boss only laughed loudly. "You have three days to come to me, after that lives will be at stake." he touched a stone on the wall and a hidden door swung open. He stepped through first then his men, one by one with their guns still aimed at the three, until each of them were passed the threshold and swung the door closed.

Snarling loudly, the Nephilim Queen used a word that neither of her fledglings had _ever_ heard her say before in front of them as she slammed her hand into the wall in rage, then cursed again as she shook out her throbbing hand. Checking to make sure nothing was broken, she gave orders. "Check this room." There was deadly temper in her voice bordering on the Rage.

At that moment Laura came back into the room, her face pink from exhaustion. "Batman's outside, he managed to get a tracking device on one of the men when they came out through the back. What do you need me to do?" she asked.  
"Go home and stay out of the way would be best." replied SwiftSpy but Laura ignored her, keeping her gaze on Arianna.

Staring at the indentation in the wall- she did not have the strength to make a real hole in it- she sighed. "Join the rest of the villagers for now, help with the clean up if you are up to it Laura." When the redhead has left, the queen turned to her fledglings. "My apologies for my language. It was uncalled for." She rubbed her hand absently as she spoke.

"No one blames you for it." said SwiftSpy, her bottled rage making her figure shake slightly. "I'll go see what Batman's doing if he's still out there."  
"I'll search the room then." he turned to Arianna. "It'll be faster if I do it anyway."

"Will you be okay down here by yourself my love?" She asked, wanting nothing more than to get _out_ of this place, but not willing to abandon her mate.

KnightHawk gave her a charming smile. "I will be fine down here love."

She still looked doubtful. "If it gets too much, don't force yourself."

He nodded in agreement and went about searching the room just as promised.

The queen got out of there as fast as she could without actually running. Emerging in the crisp night, she felt herself shaking as she leaned against the doorframe for a minute while she gulped in air.

Laura came around the corner and put a hand the brunette's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I _hate_ being underground and not seeing not seeing the sky." The Queen replied.

Laura nodded, understanding. "I managed to get a hair from one of their jackets. I hid really well to get a glimpse of their faces but the last guy that walked by had a long hair coming off his sleeve so I grabbed it." she held up the strand of DNA.

"Give that to Batman if you can, he has more connections and resources than we do at the moment." The wind was putting color back into her face.

"Okay, feel better soon alright?" with that she was off to see Batman just as SwiftSpy was coming from talking to him.

Pushing herself away from the doorway after catching her breath, The Nephilim Queen opened her wings before closing them with a snap. Nodding to Batman in greeting, she smiled reassurances at the villagers.

When SwiftSpy reached Arianna's side, the brunette could easily tell that the dark skinned Nephilim was frightened. "I don't think I've been more scared before in my life."

Gently the queen gave her falcon-winged sister a light caress. "You did well for your first battle SwiftSpy."

"Thank you, SwanQueen. I don't know how that man knew so much but I hope I never have to be cornered by him and his men again.."

The Queen nodded. "Agreed, but mostly it's me he wants." She sighed. "The odds are not in our favor."

"We need more Nephilim. Definitely more warriors. A few Ninjas would be great too."

"We need to stabilize ourselves first little one." Her stomach rumbled as she reached for her pouch of honeyed nuts.

"Yeah I know..." she replied and sighed. "What's the plan now?"

"After we clean this place out, we go back to camp and take stock of what we gained... I'll be visiting the school tomorrow, there are some things I want to look up, and a few former teachers I wish to speak to."

SwiftSpy nodded. "KnightHawk or I will escort you."

The queen nodded. "Let's go help so we can get out of here."


	18. Winning hearts, another birth

Author's note: Once again my eternal thanks to Inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter. Sorry the update took so long, but I've been having problems with . Please enjoy the read!

* * *

Dana shut her car door with a slam, it was about an hour before the school officially started, but the raven-haired girl had been forced to come to school early to run extra laps since failing that last gym test. Hiking up the shoulder strap, Dana sighed as she started to walk towards the school. Seeing Nelson's car near the front, Dana inwardly groaned. Great, what was he doing here? So much for having some quiet time to think. Nelson had been trying to start an anti-Nephilim group, and wouldn't stop trying to recruit her.

The ginger-haired teen had seen Dana coming from his spot by the school. He hadn't planned on their encounter but since she was here, he might as well try and get her recruited as fast as possible. There were quite a few members already and he knew how nasty Dana could be. Someone like her on the team would definitely help out his group.

Pretending she didn't see Nelson, Dana opened the door and walked inside quickly hoping to get to the gym before Nelson could catch up.

"Hey wait up!" he called after her and with long strides, came up beside her. "Trying to slip passed me huh?" he asked with a grin.

"I'm busy Nelson." Dana replied. "Early gym laps." She adjusted the strap again. "He's mad already, and I can't be late."

"What are you talking about? He's not here. I've been here for an hour waiting to talk to him." Nelson replied with a scrunch of his nose.

"He told me something about waiting in the gym." Dana replied.

"I'll wait with you then." he replied and it was clear he wasn't going to take no for an answer since he opened the doors to the gym and motioned for her to go inside first.

Dana took one step inside, then froze. "Never mind." She said quietly. The gym teacher was already busy talking to someone. Deciding to retreat for now, she backed up. "He's busy right now."

Nelson's grin widened. "Great, perfect time for us to talk and you to reconsider your last answer to my proposal."

"I told you I wasn't interested Nelson." Dana said, keeping her voice quiet.

"And why not? They took your best friend away from you. They even turned Terry away from you."

"They didn't _take_ anything. The fact they wanted to leave just meant they didn't care about me as much as I thought they did." Dana kept her eyes on the door, straining to hear the voices inside. "I suggest you keep your voice down Nelson." She took her bag off her shoulder. "The gym teacher wouldn't be happy if you interrupted."

Nelson shrugged. "Doesn't that make you angry? Don't you want to blame someone for it?"

"Why blame them? The Nephilim didn't force Terry and Max to do anything. And blaming them won't get the old Terry and the old Max back. Why do you hate them anyway Nelson?" Dana's mind was only on half the conversation. "I don't like them, but I don't hate them either."

"Well you should." he stepped in front of her. "There's a reason I'm going this Dana. They're dangerous, you were at the mall when that Arianna girl nearly killed that man."

"I'd be pissed too if someone was waving a gun around, and she did save our lives." Dana frowned. "Though I don't think she was playing the hero that day. That Lady was pissed." She shivered. "We should count ourselves lucky that she _wasn't_ hurt, otherwise she _would_ have killed him without a second thought instead of just playing with him."

"Would you listen to yourself! You're acting like that animal was in the right! Dana, that _thing_ is a thing. It's not normal, it has wings and when she gets 'hungry' she turns dangerous!"

Dana frowned again. "It seems to me they know that, and they just want to be left alone." Her fingers tightened on the bag's strap. "Have you _ever_ heard anything about the Nephilim hurting innocent people?"

"No but that doesn't make them any less dangerous. They're wild Dana, just like animals."

"That might be, but you can't ignore that fact that the mayor in on their side. Or the fact that they do have a lot of support from the people." She countered. "If they can do something good, win them with kindness so they won't hurt you. I met them once Nash, and not just at the mall. When I made like I was going to attack Arianna, Max held an arrow to my heart and swore she would kill anyone that tried to hurt their queen." Dana shivered at the memory. "Even the little boy was holding a knife and looked ready to defend her."

"So what's your point Dana? We have guns, they use old school weapons. By this time next week we'll have an army ready to take the three and the little brat down."

"And would you kill their defenders? Go against the Police?" Dana shook her head. "Remember, the Nephilim Queen hid from everyone for _months_ and nobody noticed Nash."

"Yeah I would, Dana. Fuck the police, they obviously don't know shit." he kicked the locker beside him. "And apparently neither do you. Pray I never see you outside of school Dana." he replied and glared his way past her.

Dana never got the chance to answer, because at that moment, the door opened and KnightHawk stepped into the light like a demonic angel. His queen was directly behind him, from the anger blazing in their eyes, they had heard every word. The smaller swan-winged one caressed her mate's shoulder, her sharp talons whispering against skin and cloth. "Now is not the time." Her voice was quiet but commanding.

The color visibly drained from Nelson's face. Without his little crew, he was nothing but a coward under his tough facade.

The Nephilim Queen carefully stepped around her pairbond. "Even animals have a right to live as long as they haven't harmed anyone." She said quietly.

"N-not if they're a danger to society, haven't you heard of animal maintenance. They put things like you down." he was too bold with the last sentence.

Dana glared at him, "You're really cruisin' for a bruisin' Nash, just shut up."

Quickly calming her mate, she frowned at Nash. "Don't worry, you'd never be offered the Choice even if it meant my race would die." She said very calmly. "You aren't suited for the Gift."

"I don't want your stupid curse." he corrected and the more time that passed, the more confident he became.

She only looked at him with pity. "One more teacher, than we can go." The queen addressed her pairbond without looking at him. Nodding politely to Dana in greeting, the Nephilim queen turned her head when the gym teacher cleared his throat behind the pair. Seeing the worry in his eyes, she managed a smile. "Don't worry Devin, everything will be fine." Devin was the gym teacher's first name.

"By sky and earth I'm _eternally_ grateful you chose me over him." Her pairbond gritted, anger blazing in his gaze.

"It was never a contest beloved." She was frowning though, Nelson forgotten as they began to walk down the hall towards the next teacher. "I wish the library was open though. My human library card might still work-" Whatever else she was going to say remained unsaid as the Nephilim Queen found herself slammed into the floor from a shove behind her.

Before she could get her breath back, the Nephilim male has Nelson by the throat, his eyes red with rage. "You...DARE..."

Dana helped Arianna up off the floor, but turned to Chaos. "Don't kill him, he may be the scummiest person on earth but you don't want this on your record. You have too much at stake right now."

Blood ran freely from her broken nose. "KnightHawk." She sounded in pain. "He's not worth it." The Queen pulled away from Dana's support after nodding her thanks. "This is not the place."

"This is exactly the place." he hissed, his Rage getting the best of him. "All it takes, is one small flick of the wrist and his life ends. He'll no longer be a pest to us, My Sweet Cherry." his voice was not his own, his was darker, huskier, angrier.

Dana's eyes widened as her heart thumped. '_He's actually going to kill him..._'

Nelson's own eyes were full of fear as he started struggling to get away, to save his own life.

Instinctively knowing what was happening, SwanQueen reached up and straightened her nose with a crack, and wiped the blood away, sniffing to be sure her nose was set right. "I'm not hurt my HawkKnight." The Queen cooed softly. "He is merely a fly, don't soil yourself with the likes of him."

Her reassurance, however was not enough to calm him. "I want to see his blood, Sweet Cherry. He will pay."

Stepping up to her mate, she caressed his dark wings. "That isn't necessary my love. We don't need to be hunted again..."

KnightHawk looked at her, knowing she was right. He let the teen go and he relaxed, his eyes turning red to their natural color within minutes. "My apologies, SwanQueen."

"No apologies needed pairbond." To make sure his temper was soothed, she took his free hand and raised it to touch her nose. "See? No hurt now."

He smiled at her cuteness and unadulterated love shone on his face. "I'm glad."

"Let him go now." She said, releasing his hand, not quite convinced the danger would be over until he relaxed. "We can go back now if you'd like."

"I'm alright." he said in a low voice. "He just needs to leave before the Rage comes back. It hasn't fully subsided."

"That's why I suggested we leave darling." The Queen answered, knowing that the true affect of the Male's Rage hadn't kicked in yet. This was just surface temper, but not the Rage in it's truest sense.

Her mate nodded and looked to Dana. "Perhaps we should send the message with someone somewhat trustworthy."

She raised her eyebrow, but nodded. "Dana?" The Queen was politely giving her a way to refuse.

Surprised, Dana nodded, affirming that she would help them. "I need to see him anyways."

The Nephilim Queen nodded. "I'd like you to deliver another message as well if you can. It's rude, but I can't finish my circuit today, and I don't want them to keep waiting only to scramble when the students arrive."

Dana nodded. "No problem." she replied and listened intently. She may not like the Nephilim, but it wasn't in her nature to ditch someone when they asked her for help.

With a sigh, the Queen folded her wings around her, lost in thought for a moment before speaking. "Please tell them that an unexpected problem arose, but that I will see them at the usual time. If they have something to give me, they may leave it in the usual place." She bent down and handed Dana a feather that had come loose in the attack. It was a glossy white feather that was a little longer than Dana's hand. "Take this with you so that the other teachers know the message came from me."

Dana held the feather delicately. "I'll let them know." she replied and watched Nelson's fearful form slink away. "Just warning you now, he's organizing an Anti Nephilim group. I don't know how big or small it is right now but be careful. The last thing I want to see are people walking the streets of Gotham with pitchforks."  
Her mismatched eyes flashed as the Queen snarled softly in displeasure. "That's the last thing I need with Kyle romping around at night." The sentence was said in tones that she was thinking out loud. In a more normal voice she spoke again. "The ones I've come to see have their lights on and the door to the classroom is slightly open. I'll need to have a word with Devin again it seems..." She sighed and twitched slightly as her mate stroked her wings. "Yes dear, We'll leave in a few minutes." She cooed soothingly to the dark Nephilim behind her.

"Right..." Dana replied and went off to talk to her teacher when he was done his meeting. Chaos inhaled and exhaled as calmly as he could but it was evident that if he didn't leave soon he would explode again. He just prayed Nelson Nash wasn't out there still, or else there would be blood on his hands.

Ducking back in, she spoke to the gym teacher for a minute, alternately listening and calming him down. When she rejoined her mate, she was calm again. "All right love, we can go now."

Later that night, the Nephilim Queen was pacing barefooted in her fury, growling softly as she went round and round the library. She was wearing a tank top that only showed how thin she was getting.

Terry McGinnis managed to sneak into his boss' lab undetected. He was supposed to be patrolling but he really needed to see if Arianna was okay. If THEY were okay. He knocked on the door he knew she would be behind.

"Enter." The Queen said curtly.

Terry entered as instructed and smiled slightly. "Hey, thought I'd catch you around here."

She sighed. "Hello Terry." Taking off her glasses and rubbing her eyes, she looked tired.

"You doing okay? I heard you had a rough couple nights."

"I could be better." The Queen answered. "I take it you heard about what happened at the school?"

"Actually I got an angry phone call from Dana. She asked me what kind of cousin I am for letting Nelson get an anti Nephilim group started against you."

The Queen felt her jaw drop before she could stop it, then found herself on the floor before she could blink again. "Say what? I never told her..."

"Neither did I..." he replied, his voice and look stern but not accusing. "Which means someone told her we're related so someone knows our secret and felt the need to tell Dana of all people, who let it slip out. When I questioned her she hung up the phone."

"Shit." The word slipped out before she could stop it. Resting her head on her knees, she took deep breaths. "What else could- no, cancel; cancel! Don't answer that!"

Terry put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I've told Batman and Bruce, they're on it.

She didn't look at all consoled by this. "We can't do this anymore." The Queen didn't look at him. "With every day that passes we become less human and more Nephilim, we can't take trying to walk the tightrope anymore. _I'm_ tired of it!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, feigning confusion, pretending he didn't know what she was talking about.

She stood up again, wincing slightly as she got to her feet. "Nephilim are human and not human, we call it the Other. It's the Other side of our nature that most people fear. The Splicing they know was only a small sample of what can happen when you tamper with something you had no real understanding of. It..." The Nephilim Queen paused, looking for the right words. "It doesn't obey human rules, It doesn't understand them. Think of it as a wolf living among sheep."

"What does that have to do with you and I? I know we're very different, but that doesn't mean we can't still talk to one another."

"Now, yes, but what will happen when I don't remember you anymore." She snapped suddenly, rubbing a fresh bruise on her arm that Terry hadn't noticed before. "What happens when the memories I have of my life as a human fade?"

"What do you mean fade? What are you talking about?" Terry's stern face just got that much more stern. "What haven't you told me?"

Walking over to the window, she looked outside. "I'm starting to loose my memories, everything before the Change is slowly being set at remove." The Queen shook her head. "I remember things, but not like they happened to me, more like I'm watching a movie."

Terry frowned, confusion, hurt, everything imaginable passed through his face. "Did you know this would happen?"  
"No, I don't think our Creator knew either, not for certain anyway." She continued to rub the bruise on her arm.

The teen rubbed his face. "Do the others know?" he took notice of the bruise on her arm and narrowed his gaze at it. "How did you get that? Was it Chaos?" he voice sounded angry, his look cold.

"No they don't know yet. They have enough to worry about right now." When he questioned her about the bruise, the brunette looked startled and she turned to face Terry. "What, no, not this bruise. This one was an accident."

"Not _that_ one? What do you mean not _that_ one? Is he hitting you? I swear if he's hurting you..." he had to take a breath to calm himself down but the look on his face was murderous.  
"No he is _not_ hitting me, but the Rut made him a little more... intense... than usual today." She flinched slightly as she stepped forward. "I'm not showing them off to you."

Terry made a face. "Don't worry I'm not asking to see them...just...be careful when you... _rut_."  
"I am his Queen and his pairbond, even in Rut, he knows better than to give me a permanent injury." The brunette replied, she looked about ready to say something else when a beeping noise stopped her in her mental tracks. Taking a device that looked like a beeper off her hip, she started at the blinking light for a minute, then sighed. "That little _monkey_! Better go find and rescue him again..." She ran her hand though her hair and walked to the chair. "Please don't put the books away yet, I'll be back as soon as I can. Looks like I'm going to get another bruise..."

"Why, what's happened?" asked Terry, on alert.

"One of my allies who doesn't live in my territory needs help, Kyle escaped again. He thinks it's fun to break out of his room and play 'catch me, find me' all night." The look on her face was a warring of emotions.

"Kyle as in Devin's son? Why hasn't Batman known about it?"

The Nephilim Queen suddenly snapped to attention. "More to the point Terry, how do _you_ know about that when most of the students at your school don't even know he has a son?" She asked too softly. "You should respect a man's privacy."

Terry raised an eyebrow. "Right back at you. I'll answer how I know he has a son when _you _tell me how you know."  
"On one of my sweeps before the creator's death I came across Devin and his partner frantically trying to find Kyle, who'd slipped out during the night. I managed to gain Kyle's trust and brought him safely home, was not an easy task considering he kept trying to pull my 'pretty feathers' as he called them." She sighed as she pulled on socks, braces, and shoes with gritted teeth. "The parents were grateful and since then I'm the one they call when the monkey slips the locks."

Her cousin nodded and offered his hand to help her if she needed it. He definitely wasn't expecting her to reveal why she knew Kyle. Which meant it was his turn to reveal his. He had been Batman when he met Kyle and he wasn't sure how to explain it to her so he hesitated. "Well..."  
"Let me guess, Batman has a big mouth?" The queen asked, accepting the help with a flinch and a choked off hiss of pain.

"Well actually, since the topic has come up, I think it's time to tell you. I hadn't told you before because I wanted to protect you from my secret. It's caused everyone else who knows problems but it seems our problems are now interlinked. I believe if you know my secret, we could work together better." he unbuttoned his shirt and took a breath. "Please don't tell anyone else." he opened his shirt to reveal the Bat suite. "I am Batman."

For a full two minutes, the Nephilim queen stood there with her face white with shock, then suddenly dropped like a stone as her mismatched eyes glazed over and rolled back in her skull. The shock of this coupled with her weakened state seemed too much for her.

Terry's eyes widened and as quick as a fly, he caught her before she hit the floor. He knew it would be a shock but he didn't know it was _that _much of a shock. He held her for a few minutes, not knowing what to do. He set her on a table and sat next to her and waited for her to come to.

Against him, the brunette's heart seemed to be racing against him and she felt very warm in his arms. She felt very light too, since she hadn't regained any of the weight she lost yet. Coming to a few minutes later, she rolled onto her side while being careful of her wings, muttering crossly under her breath. "Ouch..."

"Well... if it makes you any less mad at me, I didn't let you hit the ground."  
Keeping her eyes closed, she used her hands to check for any damage to her feathers. Once she was certain that no harm for done, she opened her eyes and pinned Terry with a glare. "We will discuss this later. In. Great. Detail." She punctuated the last three words with her anger. "Right now I have to go find Kyle before he gets himself into trouble again." The queen shifted carefully and sat up. "You may come if you wish, it's up to you, but doesn't scare him."

Terry smiled at her, both in nervousness and in gratitude for not being angry enough to shut him out and try to look for Kyle on her own when he could help. "I'll come." he said and together they walked out the door to find the kid that caused more trouble than the fake gang of jokers.  
An hour later, the Queen walked though a dark alley, looking completely calm despite her growing terror that Kyle had somehow found a new hiding place. She kept her wings tucked in and called Kyle's name in a soft voice. Batman was an out-of-sight shadow so as not to panic the boy with too many people at once.

Suddenly a boy squealed and jumped on her back, nearly making her crash into the muck had she not braced herself at the last second by going down in one knee. "Pretty One! Pretty One! You found me!" Kyle giggled in her ear, holding tightly to her neck, unaware of the 'Pretty One's' pain.

Batman made himself known. "Mr. Keen, I thought I told you not to get into trouble anymore." he said and grabbed Arianna's arms and stood her up so she was no longer partway on the ground.  
The boy giggled and slid to the ground before Arianna stood up. "I like this game." He replied, hugging her legs.

Feeling the familiar warning spasm in her legs and back, the Queen's hands tightened on Batman's in thanks before she let go. "And since I won this time, what do we do?" She asked with a gentle smile, hiding the pain.

"Go home." Kyle replied his dull slightly cock-eyed eyes sparkling with play.

"That's right. You're a good boy." She kept her voice gentle as Kyle took her hand, thankfully not wanting a piggy back ride tonight. "And you'll show me how you got out this time?"

"Yeah! It was a fun puzzle."

Batman gave Arianna a look, letting her know that she should be reprimanding him for 'playing' in dangerous areas instead of rewarding him with kind words. "Are you okay to walk?" he asked so she could hear him.

The queen shook her head slightly, letting him know that there was more to this than it looked like. "I'll manage." She replied, letting Kyle lead her out of the alleyway.

Terry raised an eyebrow but followed from the shadows in case someone tried anything, he would be able to give the element of surprise.  
During the half an hour walk, nothing telling occurred, but if you watched SwanQueen closely you could see that she was in a great deal of pain. Finally making it to the small house, she nodded to herself and took a lit yellow candle from it's hiding place in the center of a birdbath. Blowing it out, she allowed Kyle to lead her to the front door.

It swung open to reveal a lightly built man with sleep-tousled sable hair. "Thank you Lady Angelus." He said simply but with deep reverence in his voice as he took the candle from her. "I'm sorry you had to go though this again tonight.

"My duty and my privilege to help Michael. Come on Kyle, time for bed. I'll tuck you in, but no more games tonight okay?"

"Okay." The boy dropped her hand and ran in like a shot.

Batman stayed outside but went to the bedroom window and watched Arianna practically mother the child into bed. He made sure he watched Michael's every move to see if he'd try anything and to Batman's delight, Michael was very much a gentleman. The looks he gave Arianna were nothing but admirable.

When Kyle finally fell asleep, the queen left the room, nodding to Devin as she passed the kitchen while taking the chair that Michael had pulled out for her. "Thank you, I'll see if I can't figure out another set of locks that Kyle can't break... Are you absolutely sure that you won't move to my territory? It would be safer for Kyle at least."

Devin shook his head, sitting at the table with his partner. "No Lady. As long as I can work in the school I can make sure that you know of any trouble before it starts, you need that more than you need us underfoot. If we moved to your territory I would loose my job and child services would start sniffing around. You know that the principal and child services doesn't like you.

Looking tired and slightly pale, SwanQueen sighed. "I know, but I'm worried that someday Kyle's ability to pick locks is going to get him into trouble. He's too trusting and he doesn't understand the concept of evil."

With this now in Batman's knowledge, he tapped into his comm. link with Bruce. "Are you getting this Mr. Wayne?"  
"I know what you're thinking and the answer is no." replied the gruff voice.  
"Oh come on, he's a kid, you heard what Arianna said, he's trusting. We, _I, _can look after him, show him right from wrong, evil from good."  
"It's too dangerous for a child, Terry."  
"Then you teach him. I'm sure you can whip anyone into shape."  
"Talk to your cousin about it." was all he got for a reply then the comm. link disconnected, indicating Terry had exhausted his mentor out.  
"We can't risk it." Michael was saying. "You know how much medical care Kyle needs Lady. I know you feel frustrated because you don't feel you are doing enough for him, but I will tell you right now that our boy loves you. And if that isn't enough to tell you how much you touched this family, nothing will."

Devin looked sympathetic. "You look pale, chocolate bar?" He sounded amused.

"Yes, Kyle wouldn't lie down until I ate the treat he's saved for me." The queen swallowed. "It was a rather large one, but he stood over me until I ate the whole thing..."

Batman rapped on the window, telling her it was time to go. It was getting later by the minute, meaning there were more dangerous people coming out to play.  
The Nephilim Queen stood gracefully. "I'll come again at the usual time." She promised as they both stood up and respectfully walked her to the door. "Be careful with the candle code." Hearing them voice agreement, she spread her wings and climbed the trellis to the roof, once there, she clamped her hand to her mouth even as she dove off. When they got to the park, the Queen dove to land without warning.

Terry landed with her, putting a hand to her back. "What's wrong?"

She had no time to answer as she suddenly fell to her knees and was violently sick. Over and over her fragile body convulsed as it forcefully purged itself of the human sweet she had eaten not fifteen minutes ago. When it finally stopped, she was pale and shaking as she sat back up and took a deep breath. "It's happening faster now..." She murmured softly to herself in a hoarse voice.

"Why did you eat it knowing it would have this effect on you?"

"It was a gift." She replied. "I could not refuse it." Her color was looking better as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"You didn't have to eat it right there. You could have told him you already ate and would save it for later." he growled. "If you accept every gift and eat everything that's given to you someone could easily slip something into it and seriously harm you."

She glared at Terry. "I tried that once, and the next time I saw him, he gave me two. Kyle isn't like other children Batman. As for others, I generally don't put myself in that position very often, the only time I accept food is if I trust that person." Looking at the puddle that used to be a chocolate bar the Queen moved away and stood in sudden revulsion. "It will be easier once I figure out what foods we can eat so that I can make treats. It makes them feel at ease when I accept food or drink from them."

"He's going to have to learn that our food is making you sick. If he really cared he'd understand and find some other way to please you. As for him, I heard you were concerned about him. Bruce and I were talking and we think that since you're so busy with everything else, we can teach him right from wrong, how to and how not to. If you want him learning the ways of Nephilim, fine, but he first needs to be mentored and you're too busy to mentor and constantly watch over Kyle."

After staring off into space for a moment, the Nephilim Queen nodded slowly and quickly spat to rid herself of the taste in her mouth. "Are you sure you have the patience for this? He's quite a handful even on the best of days, and on the worst..." She rubbed the bruise on her arm reflexively. "However, you are right. I'll have a new fledging soon that will need my care..."

"I'm sure I can handle it. During the day he'll be with either Mr. Wayne or myself so either way he'll have a positive role model to show him right from wrong." he replied and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll give you daily updates."  
It was a measure of her unease that the Nephilim queen nodded once in agreement instead of the further probing she would have done before accepting help from a human. "See to it." She ordered, walking towards the nearest tree to take off, heading back towards Wayne manor.

Bruce sat in his armchair, a glass of brandy in one hand and a book in the other. A knock at his window brought his eyes up to see Arianna on the other side of the glass. He got up with a look of reluctance as he limped over to the window and opened it. He moved aside to let the Nephilim queen through and closed the window once she was safely inside.

Folding her white wings around her as she straightened, SwanQueen looked tired as she smiled at Bruce in thanks. "Thank you very much sir."

"Welcome." he turned away and picked up his glass of brandy. "To what do I owe the visit?"

"I wanted to ask you how thin Batman was spread right now." The brunette said in a quiet voice.  
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "He's busy enough." was the only thing he offered.

Anger and temper briefly flashed through her mismatched eyes before the Queen turned her face away to jerk the leash tight. "That's not a helpful answer Mr. Wayne."

Bruce walked back to his chair and grabbed his cane. "Terry told me he told you. He also told me you ate a chocolate bar. Your doctor should analyze this, perhaps her and your scientist can come up with a medicine that prevent you from hacking up your intestines." he took another shot of brandy, finishing the glass and gave her his full attention. "He also mentioned you accepting our proposition in helping Kyle. Batman's thinned out enough at night he barely gets any sleep and seldom gets a day off. In those times it is then I that will step in. I may be old, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of teach a kid right from wrong."

"I would prefer that you handle Kyle more than Terry, I assume you've had passing experience in dealing with the 'differently-abled'? The queen asked. "As for the chocolate bar, I know what the problem was, but that can't be fixed right now..." In a rare moment of distress, she pinched the bridge of her healing nose. "We won't be available to help unless it's an emergency for the next week or two, maybe longer."

Bruce nodded. "I'll be around him more than Terry, you don't need to worry about that one." he looked at his clock and then back at the exhausted Nephilim. "You should get going, it's getting late and you look like hell."

"I can't. The books spawned again." Now the Queen sounded grumpy. "They do it every time I take a break." She sighed. "Still, I found some nugget of information _before_ the computer went smoky- which I'm sorry about- that might be able to provide a little help with the Food Situation..."

It was Bruce's turn to rub the bridge of his nose. "What did you do to the computer?"

She shifted from one foot to the other while slightly opening her wings for balance, reminding Bruce that this Nephilim Queen was also still just a teenager. "I don't know." Her voice was small. "One minute I'm reading about acorns and the next thing I know the computer was smoking and looked ready to pop."

If the computer wasn't going to cost about seven thousand credits he maybe would have cracked a smile. "Well, what's done is done. Just... watch what you're doing next time." he said and shook his head. "Do you not have your home to go to?"

"Terry was watching, and he can't figure it out either. I asked him to stay in the room because I was nervous and didn't want to be alone with the computer." The Queen looked _very _unhappy and her wings spread out a little more while she kept her head bowed. "I'm sorry."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, a gesture that was fast becoming a trademark for him. "Perhaps it is because of what you are. I don't mean that as an insult. However, you are the most different from the others. Maybe each one of you triggers something to go wrong and for you its computers."  
If anything, she hunched her shoulders even more, raising her wings defensively as if to shield herself from something. "Not just computers." The queen sounded sad and scared, like a lost child who wanted her mommy. "I broke my pairbond's credits too. They work fine with him, but it won't work once I touch them or even keep them in my pocket."

"I think it's best if you stay away from technical machinery until we get this figured out." he replied. "It seems like it just targets technology. With a serious look on his face, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, it's all still new. You have much, much to figure out." his look softened for her for just a moment, letting her know that it was okay for her to show him weakness behind closed doors.  
"They won't like this, especially when our comm units stop working." She murmured softly to herself, but lowering her wings, before taking his pat a step further and giving him a hug while politely keeping her wings got of the way. "Thank you, it's been... a tough day."

Bruce was taken aback for a few moments until his face visibly softened and he returned the hug. "You and me both, kid, you and me both."

She let the hug go on for a moment longer, perhaps sensing this male was in desperate need of true affection. When she stepped away the vulnerability was gone as if it had never been even while her stomach grumbled, once more a Queen. "I need to get back to the books and make sure they didn't spawn- or worse- run away in my absence." She said gently.

Bruce nodded, the hardness back on his face the moment she pulled away. "See to it." he turned his back to go back into his chair, trusting Arianna to close the window on her way out. He, however, paused at the edge of the chair and looked over his shoulder, his eyes hard but his voice soft. "My window... will always be open to you."

Bowing slightly, the Nephilim queen smiled softly in return as she turned and walked out the door to return to the library. Apparently intending to burn the midnight oil yet again in study.

Tori sighed at her Queen. "You really have to be more careful with all these new discoveries." she said finally. Her eyes stopped at a patch of green skin on the back on her neck. Frowning she leaned in closer. It smelt of chocolate, sugar and a hint of rotting flesh. "And you seriously need to stop taking human food. There's a patch of rotting skin back here and unless you want your whole body to look like it, I suggest you politely say no thank you." she extracted a piece of the skin as gently as she could and put it in a petri dish for later examination. Inside the cave it was quiet, as the other members were off either in the village or helping Josh hunt. She examined the rest of her patient and with another sigh of disapproval, she was done. "You have to be more careful."

The Queen politely ground her teeth until Tori had put a bandage over the wound. "I'm doing the best I can." She stretched out her arms, wincing as a joint popped. "If my idea works, we'll be able to add a little more than stews and wild berries to the table..." Another joint popped as she shifted her weight to glance at the drying acorns waiting to be shelled. She was very thin at this point.

The three of you are starting to look like holocaust victims. I suggest you find something fast." she knew it wasn't her place to berate her queen but if she didn't do it for her own good then who would?

SwanQueen flinched, acknowledging the truth of that statement. "It's our metabolisms, we burn up food quickly. I'm actually the worst of the three because of my Type, don't worry." She managed a smile. "The acorn flour I'm hoping to make should help a little. We also have a small herb garden planted now."

Tori nodded in approval and moved to her petri dish with the slab of skin. Moving it under a battery-powered microscope she saw it was an infectious piece of pure bacteria. Normal human medicines would have cured this no problem but the queen and her subjects were allergic to seemingly anything human. "I'm going to need all the herbs you own as well as a lot on books of natural herbs for cures."

"You will have them." The queen promised as she retreated to the other end of the cave, eyeing the microscope as though it had grown fangs. "May I dress now?"

Tori nodded. "Yes, go ahead. How soon can I get the herbs? I don't want to wait too long."

Still not taking her eyes off the microscope, the Nephilim queen dressed quickly. "The herb garden in at Wayne Manor. He is an ally of ours, and insisted on growing them there since we need them grown quickly without the possibility of accidental tampering." She shrugged. "It seemed to be the safest place right now."

"I suppose he can be trusted." she replied, her voice distant. "Take someone with you in case anything goes wrong now that you can't use your comm. link."

"I will when someone comes back." She promised, frowning as she messed with her hair and fixed the bandage.

Tori nodded and just as she was about to say something, Joshua zoomed into the cave, followed by Max. "Look mom! I caught a rabbit!" he cried holding up the animal.

The brunette gave her son a smile that lit up her mismatched eyes as she walked over and knelt on one knee to gravely inspect the rabbit Joshua was holding. "What were you planning on doing with your catch?"

"Make KnightHawk cook it." he giggled and went over to his honeyed nuts and grabbed a handful of them and ate them. "Yum!" he then watched Tori. "What are you doing?"  
"I'm inspecting your mom's wound."  
"Why?"  
"Because if I can cure it, she won't be sick anymore."  
"Mom's sick?" he asked, worried and looked at his mother. "Why are you sick?"

"Allergies." She answered her son but was looking at SwiftSpy. "They are getting worse." The Queen put a hand to her neck. "Are you busy Sister?"

Max gave Arianna a look that said she had some explaining to do but otherwise feigned ignorance. "I'm free."

Nodding, she smiled at her son. "Could you please skin the rabbit and keep an eye on the acorns for me? I'm waiting for them to dry so we can shell them. Your Aunt and I have an errand to run."

Joshua made a face when she asked him to skin it but he didn't argue. "Where are you going?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her legs.  
Seeing the face her son made, the Nephilim Queen allowed her voice to harden. "If you are old enough to kill a rabbit, then it's only respectful to the animal that you've killed that you clean and skin it as well so it won't rot as fast." She ran her talons lightly though his hair as her voice gentled again. "We are going to the Manor to pick up a few things."

Josh's face screwed up again but he sighed and took out his knife to prepare his skinning. "Fly safe mom. You too Swifty."  
Nodding her agreement smiled. "Land with grace my son." She answered, then left the cave with a worried expression settling over her face as soon as she was out of sight.

Max stared at her hard enough to pierce skin. "What's this about?"  
"The reaction to human food is getting stronger and stronger." The Queen replied as she reached up to start to climb the tree.

"I can see that..." she said, looking to the back of her neck. "What I want to know is how come you let it get this bad for you."  
The Queen let her hand fall and bowed her head quietly. When she spoke again, it was in such a soft voice that her sister almost didn't hear it. "Because I just realized that I am as different from you as you are from humans SwiftSpy."

Although Max could barely hear her, she still heard it. Softening her look, Max took Arianna's hand and squeezed gently. "Don't worry, we'll figure this out."  
"You don't understand sister. Everything that happens to me is full force once my body's now truly adjusted to it's new state. I am the Original, and I have no idea what the rules are for me." She said softly and sadly.

"Then we're going to have to do things with extra precaution."  
Laying a hand to her abdomen, the Queen sighed then growled softly. "Let's go." She said sharply, climbing the tree recklessly.

Max said not a word more and within seconds, they were both air borne, heading in the same direction: Arianna's cure.  
Still snarling softly, the Queen landed on the path leading to the mansion. She opened the door and walked right in as though she owned the place, her soft snarl filling the room in warning that it would be best to stay away.

Bruce was in his study and upon hearing his door open, he walked out of the room. He saw Max's wings turn a corner towards the room he was storing the herbs and with a narrowing of his eyes, went back into his study and turned on the camera for the room and sure enough, the two Nephilim has walked in to get herbs.

Though the screen Bruce watched as the Queen studied the pots for a minute before shaking her head in disappointment before walking over to the sink to thoroughly wash her hands before touching anything.

Bruce couldn't hear anything, something he decided on the spot that he would need to fix as soon as possible. He watched her intently, immediately noticing the patch on the back of her neck.  
After SwiftSpy also washed her hands, the two of them carefully examined each plant, and SwanQueen was shaking her head slowly as she hefted a thick book in her arms and flipped though it. A few minutes later, she shut the book and very carefully snipped off some samples of the herbs. Giving her sister the book and the baggies, she said something that made Max eye her in concern before the falcon-winged Nephilim left the room.

Bruce patted Ace on the head and when he whined in approval Bruce smirked. "Make sure she rests." Ace left for the room to see her.

On the screen, Bruce saw a smile light up her face when Ace came into the room and nudged her for pats, then look surprised when Ace started pushing her out of the room with his head. "What is it boy?" He heard the Queen ask as she allowed herself to be bullied down the hall.

Ace led her to a room where there was a more than comfortable looking bed waiting for her.

"Ace? What's- Puff!" She didn't get the chance to ask her question as a shove from behind made her fall on the bed. "All right, all right! But not for long okay?"

The large black Great Dane mix sat down in front of her and laid down, watching her intently, telling her she wasn't going anywhere unless she had some rest.

Five minutes later, Ace was on the bed looking content as a dog could be. His head resting on the small of her back as his tail thumped in triumph as he looked at his master, Terry, and KnightHawk- who had come hunting for his mate. The Nephilim Queen was fast asleep, but the dog wasn't going to budge.

Terry smirked but kept his voice low. "You ever breed Ace Mr. Wayne?"

"Thought of it... but then realized no other dog would be as smart as him."

"Too bad, I forgot how much she loves animals. Never expected Ace to act so cuddly."

Ace grumbled softly and laid his ears back as he eyed Terry, but nuzzled SwanQueen when she shifted in response to the sound, planting a paw on her rear so she wouldn't move.

Chaos raised a brow. "You're sure he doesn't understand human customs?" he asked, eyeing the paw on his pairbond's rear.

Terry shrugged. "Beats me, but he _is_ a big dog and he might be afraid of hurting her considering her size and thinness."

Bruce shook his head, his voice and expression stoic as always. "He's making sure she gets good rest. Under my orders."  
This made Terry narrow his eyes in annoyance. "Is she working _that_ hard?" He asked in a low sharp voice as he watched the dog cuddle closer.

Bruce shrugged. "Its not uncommon to work over your limit for something you have a passion for."  
"Not like this, she should be spanked!" Terry snapped. "There's no reason for her to abuse herself this way."

"I've tried talking her out of it, it's useless. She's more stubborn than an ox." said Chaos. "We all try to do the best we can to make things as easy on her as possible."  
Bruce frowned for a minute before looking at Chaos. "Head back, let the others know she's all right, and get her some clean clothes and food she can actually eat, let's let her sleep it out. With Ace in the room on her like that, she'll be sleeping for a while." He said finally. "Maybe a pet _would _help..." The last part was his thinking out loud.

Awaiting the Queen's return at sunrise, Tori sat, her legs shaking with nerves she was trying as hard as she could to suppress. When her queen landed in front of her, she jumped up both in respect and anxiety. "My Queen.." she said and bowed, knowing it was her time to become like her, a Nephilim.  
"Tori." She nodded in respect as she stepped forward to let the others land behind her, letting her wings stretch to their fullest extent before drawing them tight against her naked body. The bandage had been removed so she looked wild and untainted by human hands. "You have been offered the Choice in front of witnesses, and passed the Testing. Now only one Truth remains before your Rebirth. Are you willing to face it?" Every word and movement had the force of ritual behind it.

Without having to think or hesitate, she nodded in affirmation. "I am."  
"Then look and see what truly lives within our skins." As the Queen spoke, she dropped the mask, letting Tori see the Other part of their being, knowing that behind her, the others had also allowed the Other to come forth. No longer human, there was a deadly feral light in their eyes, and three sets were pinned directly on Tori.

A part of Tori knew that she should be scared, fearing for her life and humanity. But she wasn't. Not when she knew that these incredible beings wouldn't harm her. She stepped forward and bowed. "I submit myself to you, this is what I want."

Closing her mismatched eyes, the Queen took deep breaths until the mask was back in place. When she sensed the others were calm again as well, she gave an order without turning her head. "Bathe her." She had had warm water prepared already by the river, while in the pot on the fire behind them a sharp knife was being boiled to cleanse it.  
Tori took deep breaths to calm her nerves. She followed them to the river and stripped down to nothing so she could be bathed.

The two Nephilim fledglings bathed Tori with gentle care as though she was a child, neither saying a word as she made sure to wash every inch just in case. KnightHawk showed no reaction at all to seeing Tori nude, nor did he hesitate in touching her, it was almost like she wasn't even a female to him. They paid special attention to the woman's back and tied her hair up with a bit of cord.

When the group returned to the Queen, she had just plunged the knife into the cold water that had been set aside, and was watching the cloud of steam as the water hissed in protest. A dirt-covered metal box lay open beside a large pile of furs. Hesitating, the brunette motioned for Tori to lay facedown in the furs as she chose a vial. "The price for being one of us is pain child." She said softly. "This is your last chance to remain a human."

Tori smiled out of nerves. "Do it."  
Gesturing for KnightHawk to hold her head and SwiftSpy to hold her legs, she quickly loaded the vial in the gun, before using the sharp knife to make the wing slits and injecting her sister. Cleaning the knife off, she set the splicing gun off to one side and waited for the screams to start.

At first the sensation wasn't bad, just a slight burning, but she was convinced she jinxed it when her back felt like it was lit on fire and pain shot through the rest of her body. She clenched the dirt, digging her nails into the soil for purchase but received none. Her pain came out in strangled noises, she had pride and she wasn't going to scream it out like a baby. Tears formed in her eyes and she pressed her forehead into the dirt, hiding her pain from those she looked up to.  
Chaos moved her head so that it was cushioned in his lap and held her hair out of the way. His Queen knelt as Tori's side, dipping the cloth she'd taken from the metal box into the hot water and gently wiping her back, ignoring the tears that slid heedlessly down her face. "I'm sorry, I know this is hot, but we can't risk infection. It's all right to cry and scream if that helps you, none of us will think less of you for it. The price for this gift is pain, embrace it."

In desperation she clung to Chaos, not because she found him attractive or wanted him, but because she needed someone physically strong to grab onto. Tear flowed freely down her face and onto Chaos, wetting his naked thighs. She paid no attention to the fact he was naked, she didn't care, therefore it wasn't awkward. She managed a glance at Arianna, knowing that nothing but pain masked her gaze. She bowed her head back down and let out sobs as her queen cleaned the wounds on her back to make sure infection didn't spread.  
"It's all right... you are doing fine..." The queen murmured softly, watching as her fledgling's wing bones and wing membrane began to emerge and tenderly wiping the tiny feathers that were slowing poking their way though the skin as SwiftSpy tightened her hold in the woman's legs.

Chaos stroked her hair while Max cooed her, trying to sooth the pain with soft sounds. "You're going great Tori." she said and looked to Arianna, who's only focus was on the new fledging.  
The pain was slowly numbing, Tori wasn't sure if she was going to pass out from that or hyperventilation. It felt like the pain was slowly burning out her nerves, making her almost immune to the pain but the throbbing was still there, letting her know that it was far from over. She was suddenly overcome with the need to flex her back and let whatever was there, out. With an ear piercing screech, her brown wings sprouted from her back. In exhaustion, her eyes rolled back, passing out on her queen's pairbond.  
Frowning, the Nephilim Queen cleaned the newly-formed wings with tender fingers examining the feathers and wing slits closely. "That was too close..." She said, turning her head to wipe the tears away with her bare shoulder. Her mismatched eyes were dark with concern, and she did not appear pleased about something.

Max and Chaos looked at her, both asking the silent question.

"She nearly tore herself. The membrane and feathers are very, very fragile." As the Queen spoke she kept examining the feathers. "I'm only grateful that she don't break a bone."  
Max's brows shot up as she looked back down at Tori's limp form. "She's okay now right?"

"There seems to be no damage, other than a few bent feathers, but I won't know for sure until she wakes up."

"Do we help her wake up or let her rest here?" asked Chaos, his eyes distant.

"Here. I don't think it's wise to move her." The Queen's eyes were troubled and upset. Her hands were covered in blood when she stood up, and she swallowed hard. "Keep her warm, and under no circumstances once-so-ever touch her wings or let them be touched. I need to wash my hands before I clean everything."

The two Nephilim did exactly as she asked and didn't even think of touching the wings. "Do you think she'll be okay?" asked Max, concern lacing her features.

"She's been through worse, I'm sure she'll be fine." he said and they both sat in silence, waiting for the return of their queen.

When the Queen returned ten minutes later, she was dressed and scrubbed clean, but still looked troubled at her own thoughts. Bending briefly to check the new fledgling's breathing and forehead, she rose and started to clean up the mess, throwing the bloody cloth on the fire and cleaning the splicing gun with a wipe before returning it to the box. She checked the box carefully before locking it tightly and sighed.

"What now?" asked Max.

"We wait." SwanQueen replied, turning slightly as she stared at the new member of the family. "You two can get some rest if you want to."

Chaos frowned. It wasn't like this for him or Max at all... something was seriously wrong. "We're not children, Pairbond, we can handle the truth."

"Every person is different when they are reborn but... I don't recognize her wing type..." The queen said slowly. "That, and I don't like what happened when her wings came out like that, I don't know if anything tore from the force."

"Well," Max started, "If it's supposed to be different then maybe this is normal for her."

Far from being reassured, the Queen's mood seemed to darken further. "The wings didn't unfold little sister, they _exploded_ from her back... and if enough tissue was torn..."

They stayed silent, not knowing how to comfort their queen but knowing that unless Tori woke up soon, they wouldn't know anything.

Standing restlessly, SwanQueen checked on Tori again, noting that it was around midnight. "Today's the third day." She said tightly, changing the subject.

"I'll have a plan in an hour." said Max, suddenly realizing it was the third day as well.

Too keyed up to stay still, she moved to the side of the fire out of the way and started to pace, snarling softly under her breath.

SwiftSpy always worked fast and under pressure, she worked a mile a minute so it really came as no surprise when after twenty minutes, Max grinned. "I got it. Give in to him and go with him quietly. Tell him there was no possible way we could defeat someone as strong and intelligent as him. If you feed his ego, he'll be a wreck when we destroy it."  
"Are you nuts? She can't just turn herself in." KnightHawk hissed and nearly jumped up in protest but stopped himself, remembering he was supporting Tori's head.

Though she paled, the queen nonetheless looked as though she was turning this over in her mind. "Sounds good, but if we play it like this, I'm going in solo."

The falcon-winged Nephilim nodded. "That's how we have to play it. I'll get a name of a spy that's high up there with the boss so he can keep an eye on you. My brother and I will manage things there and we're going to need Batman as an ally to get you out once you get in. Do you think you can handle sabotaging them with the help of one person and a virus I'll give you?"  
For the first time that day, SwanQueen managed a smile. "Dearest Fledgling, I _am_ the Virus. You should have seen what happened to poor Mr. Wayne's computer..." Her smile faded. "I didn't know we still had a spy that far up, our side or human's?"

"Humans. We should give them credit for _some_ things I guess." she grinned back. "Alright, you virus the place up. Then inject dear Boss with another formula that will make him both look and think unintelligent. I'm thinking dodo bird."  
At this thought, the Queen's eyes lit up for a moment in amusement, then she shook her head. "No, not a good idea little sister. We can't cross that line."

"He wouldn't be a Nephilim, he'd be an Exile. Plus, it would mess up his brain so completely, he wouldn't be able to do any harm to anyone ever again."  
"NO!" The Queen snapped, her mismatched eyes flashed in temper. "I will _not _sink to their level. The Gift will not be used for torture, and giving the Boss wings only to cut them off- for a Cutling _is_ an exile- qualifies. To cross that line once means it can be crossed again."

Max wanted to argue the point but she stayed her tongue, but not before narrowing her eyes at her Queen. "Fine." was the only thing she said. "Then what do _you _suggest we do with him?"  
"I will kill him with my own talons." The Queen said coldly. "There will be nothing left of him to bury."

Both of her fledglings raised an eyebrow, either in surprise or doubt, neither was sure which. "If you kill him, you're no better than he is and you can just as easily be labelled a murderer." said her sister after a pause.

"And just what exactly did you think your idea was going to be viewed as, _particularly_ those who are against splicing altogether?" The Queen countered back

fiercely.

_"Exile, _no one has to know where he went or what happened to him. No one has to know he was spliced. It's a _hell _of a lot better than your idea. What do you think yours would be viewed as, particularly those who are against murder altogether?" she fired back.  
"And just where did you expect the DNA required? In case you didn't know, the Dodo bird is extinct." The Queen snapped back. "At least Murder is clean and the evidence can be cleaned up. Where did you expect to dump the boss? If you exile him to the humans- which would be the only choice since he can't live among us- he _will_ talk and we will be accused of abusing the gift and torture since he'll be an eunuch."

Flipping her wings back, SwiftSpy couldn't help but laugh at the last part. "A dodo bird was but an example. There are other more... less intelligent birds out there I'm sure. We would have to supply our own exile place, somewhere where he won't have any contact with humans. At least then its secret and you won't have a murder on your conscience."  
The Queen wasn't amused and a snarl escaped as she continued to pace. "Worry about it later." She snapped finally, ignoring her reddening feet.

An hour later, Tori stirred. She lifted her head within a few seconds, she remembered what happened. She sat up quickly and looked at her wings and smiled.

"Don't move!" The queen snapped, rising from her seat and swiftly kneeling by her fledgling's side to examine her. "You are fragile right now."

Tori froze, frightened by the tone. "What's wrong?"

"You might have torn some muscle when you flexed your back, but I'm not sure." She replied.

Tori's eyes widened. "How can you tell?" she asked, not wanting to move incase she made it worse. "Nothing feels out of place."

SwanQueen snorted. "You passed out when they came out. You didn't unfold them, they snapped out."

"They hurt to stay in. My body said to flex, so I did."

She frowned. "Our bodies are _very_ connected, one little change can keep you grounded, possibly for life. If you aren't careful, you'll damage yourself before you ever fly." She looked to her Pairbond, giving him permission to speak.

"Its true, I nearly killed myself when I was reborn. If it happened to you and me, it could happen to others. This has to be check out." said Chaos, looking Arianna in the eye.

The queen touched Tori's feathers very lightly, her face a study in concentration as she studied her newest fledgling. "You both tensed up." This was said absently, as though she wasn't all 'there' when she spoke.

Tori was also lost in thought, making note of if to study it for further analysis in other fledglings.

Finally the Nephilim Queen gently poked the area around the wings- and frowned. "You did something back here, but I won't know until you get rest. I don't want to move you too much."

"Am I to rest here?" she asked, not really liking the idea as it was getting chilly but if she had to, she would stay where she was.  
"We'll try to make you more comfortable, but we can't risk your feathers bleeding right now. They are very fragile like a newly hatched chick's..." The Queen snapped her fingers suddenly, momentarily distracted. "Eggs." She muttered, running her hand down her braid.

"Eggs?" asked her falcon-winged sister, curiosity glazing her features.

Seemingly recalled back to the present, the Nephilim queen shook her head. "Thinking about the other problem on my mind."

The dark skinned Nephilim raised a brow in question but didn't press the issue since the most current issue was Tori and how her wings just suddenly burst out of her back. "Do your best not to move them okay?"  
Throwing more wood on the fire, SwanQueen watched her mate lift his sister's head off his lap and replace it with a thick pillow before getting off the furs, standing to stretch his legs while SwiftSpy covered the newest member with a fur up to the small of her back. "Rest now." the Queen said gently. "I am here, you are safe my fledgling."

Tori nodded and closed her eyes, turning her head away from her new family so they wouldn't see her tears. Not of regret but of happiness. For once in a very long time she belonged and that was a sensation, a gift she wouldn't give up for anything. She was finally happy. She wasn't sure what would happen if she couldn't fly but she couldn't feel anything wrong with her feathers so she was sure nothing was wrong. Wiping her face with the back of her hand, she turned to face her family, and smiled, a true beautiful smile. Finally.


	19. Dancing with the Devil

Author's note: Once again my eternal thanks to Inu-midoriko for all of her help with this chapter. Sorry the update took so long, but I've been having problems with . Please enjoy the read!

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Ace's fierce gunshot barking woke Bruce from sleep, Mumbling to himself, he opened one icy blue eye to look at the clock. His eyes shot open in startlement and he threw back the covers to get out of the bed. As he dressed as hurriedly as his aging bones would allow, he wondered what in the blazes would make the Nephilim Queen come here in the middle of the day instead of waiting till dark- as was their custom. The elderly man knew that whatever it was, the problem was serious indeed.

Finally dressed, the man followed Ace's barking noise to discover the Queen sprawled out flat on her back in the front hall of the mansion trying to deal with the excited black dog all but dancing on top of her in his excitement. "Hush! Hush! Let him sleep! Earth and Sky you don't need to wake him." The Queen said, trying to keep her voice down while clearly being hurt by the excited dog's movements. "I only wanted to drop a few things off and pick up a few others since I'll be gone a while, calm down before you wake him up!"

Although Bruce was incredibly irritated that he was woken up, he couldn't help but smile at the scene. His Ace was just smitten with SwanQueen and in truth, he was glad to see it. One of them needed a break from being so serious all the time Ace had found his time. Turning, he gave one last glance to his dog and the Nephilim girl and went back to his room to get more shut eye.

Seeing Bruce turn away in between Ace's kisses. The young queen laughed softly. "My apologies Mr. Wayne, I didn't mean to- Ow! Ace that was my private area you just stepped on, stop dancing around!" Finally managing to get out from under the love-maddened canine, she flexed her wings and got to her feet. "As I was saying, I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It wasn't you necessarily," he eyed Ace, who ducked his head, knowing he wasn't in his master's good books at the moment. "Whatever you have to do, do it. Just... do it quietly." he said and with a small smile, headed for his room. "Fly safe." he called for Ace, who didn't budge from the lady's side. When Bruce turned around with a glare at Ace, he canine sat down, indicating he wasn't going to move. The old man sighed and shook his head. "Don't you come to me later looking for affection." Ace grumbled but didn't move. Sighing again at his disobedient dog, Bruce went into his room and closed the door quietly behind him.

As she watched Bruce walk away, the Nephilim Queen felt unbidden tears fill her eyes and she brushed them away impatiently with the back of her hand. "Farewell Mr. Wayne... it was an honor to have known you." She whispered, taking the bag that Ace had dragged over to her and walking towards his study.

Towards sunset, the Boss sat patiently in the abandoned warehouse with a glass of wine in hand. He sipped delicately while his men stationed themselves around the room. A little girl sat next to his right on the floor. She was only three and had no idea what was going on except she couldn't move very far because she was chained to the chair the fat man was sitting on. "Do not worry, little one, if the queen shows up, you will live." he said, as if she understood that her life was in great danger.

When the Nephilim Queen entered the warehouse, she paid absolutely no attention to the Boss's minions, or even to the Boss himself. With Ace trotting along at her side, she didn't say a single word to the Boss as she made her way calmly towards the child, and knelt down to tickle the girl affectionately while examining the chain.

The Boss did nothing, only watched the queen kneel before him to tickle the three year old. "Where are the others?" he asked, finishing off his glass, eyeing her like he would eye his prey.

"Safe." She said shortly, undoing the chain and picking up the child to keep her from poking Ace before standing. Crooning softly to her while discreetly checking for any injuries, she looked at Ace. "Will you play nice?" She asked the dog.

Ace grumbled but sat down, indicating he was going to do as he was told.

Satisfied, she put the child down next to him and caressed the Dane's ears as the child squealed in joy and pulled Ace's fur to hug his head. "Woofer!" She announced happily, speaking for the first time since the Boss kidnapped her.

Ace did as asked and barked for the child and let her snuggle to him. He looked at Arianna, asking why she would put him through this torture but stayed seated.

The boss let out a belly jiggling laugh and gave his glass to one of his men to clap his hands. "You are something else." he said to his captive and stood from the chair. "Come," he snapped his fingers. "Bring her, leave the child and the dog." he said to his men in black and all of them turned to the winged teen.

Ignoring them, the Nephilim Queen knelt one more time, kissing first the child then Ace. "Protect her Ace." She whispered in the dog's ear as she petted it. "Get out of here if you can." Rising to her feet again, she eyed the goons surrounding her, gauging them before opening her wings and closing them again to stretch them out. Her mismatched eyes missed nothing, but her attitude was one of defiance.

His men stayed in place with their guns in hand, pointing at the winged teen, ready to shoot if she so much as made one wrong move. Ace whined but didn't move, knowing he had to bring this girl back to his master so he could contact the authorities. "What are you waiting for? Move!" yelled the boss, his patience wearing thin.

Satisfied that she had made her point, even if it wasn't in the way that she had originally intended, the Nephilim Queen walked past the Boss towards the back door without looking back opening it only enough to slip herself though the doorway. It was clear that the brunette would not act like a trained dog, and that she was only going where the Boss wanted her to go because that was her own choice.

The Boss snapped his fingers and two of his men grabbed her by her arms. She could be defiant all she wanted, he was the boss and she would act as such. He called the shots, he decided whether or not she lived and he decided whether or not to send his men after her people. He walked up close to her and grabbed her under her chin while his men restrained her. "You will co-operate or I'll have the bomb planted in that warehouse set off and the little girl and your dog will be blown to smithereens."

For her answer, the Queen only smiled, but it wasn't a human smile. "Go ahead. At least death will be quick for my servants." She replied, already knowing that they were out of harm's way. Jerking her head out of his hand, she shifted and made herself more comfortable as though being chained up was her own idea.

The boss grabbed her by her hair and twisted until he tore a few strands. His eyes were wide with insanity and he drew back his fist. In the next second he struck her jaw and dragged her by her hair to the cage awaiting to confine the captured Nephilim on the back of a truck. "Do not test my patience little girl." he hissed and threw her in, locking it before she had the chance to get up. He spat on the ground. "You're filth." he sneered and rounded the vehicle to get in, his men following.

As they drove away the building was blown to smithereens, leaving the queen hoping that Ace and the girl got out in time.

In the driver's seat, the Boss's second in command had a completely disgusted look on his face. Unlike everyone else, he had stayed in the background and had not threatened the Nephilim Queen in any way, preferring to observe the winged lady in silence before making any kind of move. He said nothing to the Boss as he started the truck but the white knuckled grip he had on the steering wheel revealed his anger. Instead, he seemed to be concentrating on driving carefully so that their passenger wouldn't be jostled around too much.

The boss was oblivious to his driver's disgust and continued to look out the window. "Something needs to be done about her insolence. I want you to find her village and have it monitored. If I have to kill her people one by one then I will." he hissed.

"Too late for that." The man snapped sharply letting his fingers drum on the wheel while waiting for the light to change. "I already sent spies out at noon to the forest where her people were reported to have lived separately from the humans, and it was empty. They've already cleared out. No one saw anything, so she's the only one who knows where they are hiding now."

Thrown off guard, the Boss' eyes widened, completely oblivious to his best man's sharp tone towards him. "Find them!" he yelled. "I want the bastards found. If I have to torture it out of her I will but I want your men on it. I want them found, you understand me?" he screamed, his temper as well as sanity snapping.

Hearing the Boss' scream of outrage, the Nephilim Queen smiled as she curled tighter on her side. At least with her eyes closed, she didn't feel like her heart was going to jackhammer its' way out of her chest.

After the explosion the ride to the base was silent. The Boss' men grabbed SwanQueen by her arms and walked so fast to the point where they were practically dragging her along. Looking at the building, it wasn't all that complex. Walking the halls however, was the most complex thing the Nephilim Queen had ever seen and the boss relished in knowing that unless she had a photographic memory, there was no way she'd escape without being caught. "Take her to her cell." he said and the men dragged her to the basement where a cell awaited her. There was nothing but straw and carrots. Things you would feed a horse with nothing else occupying the small space but a lone thin blanket.

During the entire time, the Queen didn't say a single word or acknowledge them in any way. Instead, once they reached the cell, she stepped away from them and limped calmly toward the privy hole, throwing the carrots out of the cell on her way. After doing her business, she stretched her wings and leg, exercising them patiently. Her mismatched eyes calculating as she concentrated on her own body.

The two men that took her there stood guard. The last thing they wanted was their boss to come down and find them not there without him dismissing them.

For two days, the Queen was absolutely silent, showing the guards no attention at all. When she wasn't exercising, she was sleeping. Strange to her captors, she wouldn't eat or drink anything they brought her even though they knew she had to be starving.

By the third day the boss was called down to inspect the strange creature in the cell. "Why aren't you eating? The food is good," he said and threw what she had tossed out back at her. "The water is fresh," he tossed a bucket of water on the floor where she was standing, mad furry in his gaze. He was the very definition of a brilliant madman. "We're closing in on your village. My men are tracking their footsteps."

The Queen didn't move an inch, not even blinking when the food hit her. "I can't eat human swill." She replied in a level voice, kneeling down long enough to sniff the water and tested a drop carefully on her tongue before immediately spitting it out before she swallowed it by accident. "The water isn't right either, by it's smell, you got it from the tap." It took every inch of willpower the Nephilim Queen had not to show any reaction to the Boss' goading about her people and the humans loyal to them.

The Boss arched a brow and turned sharply to his men. "Bring her to the lab, hook her up. I want to know everything. Slice her open if you have to but keep her alive." he said, and gave them a look each that threatened their own lives if this was done wrong. "I'll be joining you shortly. I have to see the progress on the hunt." he turned to the winged teen and grinned savagely. "Thanks to you and your unwillingness to cooperate, when my men find your people, every single one of them will be slaughtered. Including that human boy you're so fond of."

"Do not blame me because you failed the test that I gave you from the very beginning." The Queen said calmly even as her nerves screamed with terror while she shifted her wings. "If you hadn't acted like a pig, I would have brought them, or at least acted as a liaison."

The boss went right up to the bars without fear or hesitation and glared her in the eye, "You ain't seen 'pig' yet, darlin'."

"You're right, my apologies to the pigs I've just slandered, I stand corrected: pigs are cleaner and far more intelligent than you've shown yourself to be." In a rare act of bold rudeness, the Nephilim queen raked him from head to toe with her mismatched eyes. "Then again, I'd say you don't have much in the way of brains to start with considering your gender."

The boss's face recoiled for a moment, not expecting that kind of come back. His face slowly contorted into a grin and it got wider and wider until he was belly laughing madly in front of all to see. "Oh, winged girl, you're too funny." and like that, his face became deadly serious. "Don't tempt me to prove you wrong with you being my volunteer." he hissed darkly and turned his back on her to walk back where he came. "Bring her to the lab, men."

"Yes sir!"

From the shadows, the Boss's second in command stepped forward while motioning his partner to stay where they were, ignoring the Boss as he walked over to the cage and unlocked it. Just from looking at the Nephilim Queen, he knew she was on her last leg of energy and couldn't afford anymore rough treatment without the risk of breaking something. Acting on a hunch, he opened the cage and bowed to her with a click of his heels as he held out his hand palm down for her to take. "Milady, please allow me the honor of escorting you." His voice was calm and respectful, even more so than he was when he talked to the Boss.

For her part, the Queen smiled as amusement filled her tired eyes behind her glasses. "A human with real manners in this place?" As she spoke, the Nephilim Queen tucked her wings in tightly to her body as she limped forward, placing her hand politely over his. "Lead the way please, and forgive me if I stumble, it's been a trying few days." Ignoring everyone else, she limped calmly next to his side with her head held high like the Queen she was.

"My name is Damon," he said and also ignored the others. When they were out of sight and the boss was far up ahead so he couldn't hear, Damon whispered, "Tori's planning on coming here. KnightHawk and SwiftSpy are caring for the villagers. I've got a couple men on my side but there's far more men here that fear him than you know."

The brunette stumbled, fighting back the dizziness brought on by hunger and dehydration as she struggled to think, her hand accidentally tightening enough that her talons pierced his skin. "That wasn't in my instructions. I told them specifically to take the loyal ones, hide and stay safe until I said otherwise. Besides that, Tori can't fly yet." From her frustrated expression, she was trying to count days in her head, and she snarled softly as she failed. "We must be out of the city, but are we near a forest or a stream?"

"I found them. I had been tracking them using the men loyal to me. I had my guys cut them off ahead while we came in from the back. I need money, but not that badly. So I offered them a proposition. If they could get you out without it looking like I had something to do with it, I'd spare them. I wasn't going to kill them of course but they didn't know that. Your boyfriend, by the way, says don't worry, he and SwiftSpy have everything under control and have found a secret location that he didn't tell me for obvious reasons. He also said that if any harm came to you my balls would be ripped off. So, that being said, you're getting out of here in less than an hour because in thirty seconds, Tori's going to be coming in the front door. When you're out, run or fly west, deep in the forest there's a small river. All I know is that the new hideout is around there." and as promised, as they turned a corner, they saw Tori with her wings back, spine straight, speaking with someone she was obviously uncomfortable being around. It was obvious by the way she inched away from him that he was one of her rougher clients back when she was selling herself to survive.

"I'm here to speak with your boss." she said in a cold tone and like her queen, kept her head high despite the fact she was frightened by what might happen to her.

Fighting against another wave of disorientation, the Queen studied her youngest 'child'. Seeing her distinctive wing pattern, SwanQueen mentally kicked herself as she finally knew what wing type Tori was. Feeling Damon tighten his grip on her arm, she ground her teeth. "Get me outside now before I loose it and start eating people."

The man Tori addressed smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets. "When did you become a freak out of bed?"

Damon nodded, and let the door man know she was going to puke and needed fresh air. As they passed Tori, she only nodded in her Queen's direction, her expression unreadable, before she addressed her former client. "That depends, Jack. When did you become a lapdog?" her eyes narrowed and she mentally smirked, knowing that no matter what she said to this man, he couldn't hit her. "Are you going to take me to your boss or am I going to have to ask someone else with more brains than brawn?"

Jack turned a deep red, but only growled. "This way bitch freak."

Outside, the Queen let go of Damon and stepped away to spread her white wings to their fullest length so that she could feel the wind in her feathers, taking great gulps of air as some of the color returned to her face.

Damon stood by her side, his bright green eyes narrowing in curiosity. "We don't have much time."

She reluctantly folded her wings and limped toward the forest as quickly as her body permitted. If her leg hurt, the queen gave no sign of her discomfort. The Nephilim were comfortable in nature and to SwanQueen the forest was home to her. "I'm home." She whispered softly, her face at peace and seemingly unaware that she'd spoken aloud.

Damon gently took her arm and led her back to the base entrance. "Not yet. Tori's inside."

"Please tell me that she gave you proper food for me. I'm very hungry." She said with a pleading look in her eyes. "Two days is about my limit now."

He reached into his pocket pouch and retrieved their self grown vegetables. "She said you needed these. Good thing you reminded me that I had them."

The Queen devoured the meager offerings as they walked, making sure that not even a crumb escaped. When she had finished, she was still quite hungry, but the dizziness had stopped thanks to the juices reviving her somewhat. A hint of the Other lurked in her eyes, giving more than enough warning to make everyone else stay well out of the way.

Damon had to keep up his act and took her arm and led her to the boss's lab. When they walked in, Tori was flirting with the big guy himself. "...After you're done I'll show you how a Nephilim works... in more ways than one." she winked and when her queen came through the door she had to fight her the instinctive reaction to bow or acknowledge her.

"Strap her to the machines!" yelled the boss, ignoring Tori now that his main prey was back. Tori gulped, knowing that her allergic reaction to the machines would set in and she had nothing to worry about but that didn't stop her nerves from going haywire. KnightHawk had already explained her reaction to machinery and technology to Damon so they were the only three in the room that knew as soon as she was hooked up, their computers would create enough of a distraction for Tori and the queen to escape.

Locking cold unforgiving eyes with the Boss, the Nephilim queen deliberately took her time removing her shirt. It occurred to her that the more contact with her skin, the stronger reaction the machines would have. With her top half bared save for her bra, the ravages of her captivity were as clear as day before she allowed Damon to guide her into the proper place.

The scientists hooked up the machines and within the span of thirty seconds, the computers and machinery went haywire, smoking and exploding everything. Through the chaos and the men jumping to save their boss to get more brownie points, Damon grabbed the winged queen and Tori and led them out the back, making sure no one saw. "Remember, deep into the forest. Tori knows the way."

Nodding, the Queen took her shirt back from Damon and dressed again. "Thank you Damon." She sounded tired.

"Hurry, there's not much time." he closed the door, leaving them to fend for themselves from here on out.

Tori took SwanQueen's hand when she had her shirt on and ran in the direction of the forest. "We can't fly, I don't know how and they'll be looking for it." she said, intent on getting home with her Queen safely. "SwiftSpy, KnightHawk, I got her. She's okay. We're coming back by foot." Tori said into her comm. link.

"Be safe, please. A couple men will meet you halfway. Come along the river." said KnightHawk and when Tori agreed, her brow furrowed in concentration, aware that her queen was stumbling and hurting but even more aware that if they didn't move fast, they'd be captured again and that was not something Tori was willing to let happen.

"It's far, my queen, but I can assure you, when you get there, you'll feel the safest you've ever felt in years."

"He had me locked up in a cage in the basement." The queen said as she followed Tori as best she could. "The man is insane, I had no room to maneuver. The plan went wrong from the second I entered the warehouse and the only thing I could do was get Ace and little Carla out of there as soon as possible." She hissed in pain but kept going. "I thought I told everyone to stay at the Manor."

"Well its over now. You're never going back in there again. You have to warn the commissioner. The city has to be evacuated. I'm no scientist but there were enough nukes in there to take out half the state. Maybe even more and he's insane enough to blow us all to smithereens."

"You saw more than I did then. I had no time to look around, they marched me straight to the cage and the only reason I was let out was because I couldn't eat the human swill they kept shoving in my cage." The queen sounded grim but her voice was tight with remembered fear.

They hopped over a log and splashed through a creek. "It will never happen again." she said, a tear sliding down her face. If she was stronger she would have been able to go instead, offering a distraction so her queen could devise a better plan.

"I am a Queen, my duty is to protect my young." She said gently. "I knew I could die at any time before I left, my only thought was to provide an escape for the rest of us so that we as a people could live free as we were meant to. In truth I hoped my ability with messing up their machinery would take them out if nothing else, but things didn't go according to plan."

"Don't worry," she said, panting now. "Your reaction lowered their defenses and SwiftSpy was able to hook up a wireless database. She's destroying every file they own right now because you trashed their defenses."

"I hope she's making copies of them too." Her queen panted, walking from tree to tree to support herself, wincing with every move of her right leg.

Tori held out her arms. "You're small enough that if I carry you bridal style, we can get to safety faster."

She nodded. "Thank you." The queen folded her wings tightly around her so they wouldn't be damaged. "I didn't think I was this weak."

"Not weak my Queen," she said picked up the smaller Nephilim and walked as fast as she could. "just in need of some help. You're stronger than most."

Knowing that there was no answer to that, the Queen dozed lightly until they got to where the two men were.

The two men were on Damon's side, ultimately theirs as well, allowing Tori to trust herself and her Queen in their hands until they got back to their hideout.

One of the bigger men took the Queen from Tori's arms and carried her himself. "Not to worry, you're safe now."

Opening her eyes with an effort, the Nephilim queen sniffed the man's scent, or tried to anyway. "How much further?" she asked.

"Let's just say if you closed your eyes you'd get a decent sleep before we're there. The hideout is close to Metropolis. We're on the other side of Gotham." he replied, already dreading the walk there.

Shifting as though to get on her feet again, the Queen nodded. "It will be easier for you if I was on your back, my wings will help balance you and your arms would be free." She said, then looked at Tori. "I can't fly at the moment, a feather fell out before they let me out of the cage." This was a code, meaning that Tori had gotten her out just in the nick of time.

The man carrying her nodded and gently set her on her feet and hoisted her up so she was on his back. He hooked his arms around her legs to secure her on his back and in a way, the wings helped balance him. "Must be nice having them to help balance yourself." he said and smiled up at her.

The other man walked behind them, making sure Tori would be okay, willing to catch her if she so much as stumbled but she seemed to be on her feet just fine. "How many of there are you?" asked Tori to the one behind her.

"There's ten of us, six men, four women. The name's John by the way. The big lug carrying your queen is Fredrick." John looked to be in his thirties. He very much looked like a good guy, just by his face. Sure he was muscled beyond belief, as was Fredrick, but his eyes were just so gentle. It was like looking into a calm ocean of hazel with a kind smile to back it up. Tori's heart thumped and she had to look away or she'd trip and make a fool of herself.

"Thank you for your service." she said in a quiet voice, her cheeks flushing pink. John smiled at her reaction of him but said nothing.

SwanQueen nodded. "My wings make walking possible for me, and in the air I have no limits." She wrapped her legs around his waist to support herself without choking him. "Like everything else though, there's a price to pay."

Fredrick nodded in understanding. "I hear ya. How long you been like this for?"

For a long time the Queen was silent, but finally answered. "I'm the oldest at almost a year old." She sounded as if she were mostly asleep or about to pass out.

Fredrick said nothing to that, instead taking note that she sounded exhausted. "If you want, you can rest. We should be arriving at the hideout in a couple hours."

"If I sleep... I might not... wake up..." She replied. "No food or water in two days... too weak to hunt."

"Oh shit! I completely forgot!" Fred pulled out three canteens of water and a bag of fresh food. "Your... man said you'd need these."

At the scent of food, her wings snapped open and she snarled weakly as the Other took over, the mask dropping completely as she snatched the canteen strap from Fred. Dropping to the ground, the Queen snarled in warning as she unscrewed the lid and sniffed cautiously before taking a drink.

Taking this as his cue that they were taking a break, Fred and John sat down on a fallen tree trunk while Tori stayed standing, scanning the area with her eyes and heightened senses. Of all the types of sparrows, this Nephilim represented a White-Throated sparrow. The particular bird lives in forests such as this, allowing Tori to adapt faster and recognize sounds, tunes and other bird songs. One particular tweet caught her attention and every core in her body told her they had to keep moving or they would be caught. She turned her wide fearful eyes on her Queen and the men sitting on the log.

"We have to keep moving, they're coming."

"How do you know?" asked John, already on his feet. She only gave him a look and he had to ask no more questions. He looked to Fred and he stood as well. "Which direction?"

She pointed south, from where they were coming and Fredrick sighed. "They're tracking us. We need to divert them from the hideout. Can you hear anything else? A river perhaps? I know there's one by the hideout but that will lead them too close."

Tori closed her eyes and cut out all other sounds and smells. A bird chirped west and she opened her eyes and pointed in the direction. "That way." she turned to her queen who was savagely devouring the food and turned to the men. "Just give her a couple minutes, she'll be fine when she's got it all."

When every last crumb of food was gone and every drop of water from the first canteen, the Queen closed her eyes as though surfacing from a deep dive and looked at her fledgling. "Trouble?" She asked, seemingly not having heard anything while the Other took over. The brunette's mismatched eyes looked sharp and clear for the first time in days. If her jaw hurt she said nothing.

"They're tracking our movement. There's a river west of us that we can take. We have to be fast because they're not far behind." said Tori, her eyes alert, her adrenaline starting to pump into her veins.

"Let's move. I'm not being put back in the cage." The Queen got to her feet with a hiss.

Fred picked her up bridal style without her permission. "No offence milady but John and I are fast runners. Chances are we taught them how to track. We have tricks that will lead them away, especially since they have no idea John and I are helping you. Not only that but you'll slow us down with a gimp leg and a gimp wing. At least with me carrying you there will be no chance of you falling and hurting something else." that being said, John took Tori's hand. "I'll pull you along. Do your best not to trip."

"Wouldn't you run faster if your arms were free?" She asked, ignoring the comments about her leg and wings for now.

"I can adapt." he winked at her. "I've had the Boss as a boss for five years, trust me I'll be fine." he turned to John and nodded. They took off at a dash, Both Tori and SwanQueen not expecting them to run as fast as they did. Hopping over logs and branches, they ran as fast as they could for ten minutes until Tori tugged on John's letting him know she had to stop. He turned to her, "What is it?"

She held up a hand to tell him to wait a moment. She listened and smiled slightly. "They've gone the other direction but it won't be long before the realize they went the wrong way. Come on, the faster we get to the river the faster we can loose them for sure." Nodding John and Fred took off, not as fast as before, but at a decently fast pace.

"How are you fairing?" asked Fred to the white winged Nephilim between pants.

The Queen's jaw was clenched in pain as she tightened her wings around her. "I'll be fine. There's nothing we can do right now."

"Would you feel better if you were on my back?"

"It's not my wings that hurt, it's my leg and feet." She shifted slightly. "My body doesn't adjust well to harsh environments."

Fred frowned slightly. "Anything I can do?" he said, trying to lighten his grip.

She shook her head. "Not right now. We can't take the time."

Within minutes they reached the river Tori was talking about and without hesitation, John picked up Tori's barefoot body, smirking when she gasped in surprise. "Didn't think you'd want your feet to get scratched up." he explained. Tori smiled in thanks and held on while he walked as fast as he could next to Fred.

"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" The Queen asked her young.

"Well, I was about to put them on when Damon caught up to us. We didn't get the chance to make it to the original place. Who knew that coordinating a whole village would be so damn difficult. Anyways, when they said they needed someone to get it, I volunteered since I know the Boss and a couple people in there. I didn't even think to put shoes on, my only priority was to make sure you were okay."

She smiled faintly. "I didn't think it was you when I saw you, I thought my mind was going. Especially because I knew you'd all gotten my instructions."

Tori smiled back, "You may not know it, SwanQueen, but you have an army willing to do anything for you."

"I only wanted all of you to stay safe." She said. "You are my life now. I protect my own. No one gets left behind."

"And as your subject, we can't leave you to fend for yourself. It goes hand in hand here, milady."

The Nephilim Queen chuckled slightly. "Yes, I suppose you couldn't. You are bound to me as I am to you my fledgling."

A flush of warmth settled over Tori's heart and she rested her head on John in contentment, for the moment disregarding that she was wildly attracted to this man.

It was settling far into the night when John and Fred became so exhausted their legs became shaky. They had been out of the water for twenty minutes, setting themselves back on track. "Hold on man," said John, having to gently put Tori down and lean on a tree to keep from falling. Fredrick's arms were shaking, straining and determined to carry the queen. "We can't stop now John, lets go." John tried to smile but it came out as a grimace.

"Five minutes won't hurt." said Tori, putting an arm on John's shoulder. She looked around, recognizing the forestry. "We're not that far, I can walk okay?" John hated the thought of being too weak to carry her the rest of way but he would rather her walk than fall and crush her. "Yeah." he nodded and held out his arm. The least he could do now was escort her. She smiled and took his arm in her hands and they started walking again.

Silently, the Queen followed then shifted and slipped from Fredrick's hold, frowning quietly. Her mismatched eyes dark with her own thoughts as she ignored the pain in her feet as she circled the human and tapped his back. When he knelt, she climbed on his back so that they could continue on their way.

It was exceptionally easier to walk with her on his back and it allowed him and John to increase their pace yet again.

When they got close enough to the base red lasers were pointed at John and Fredrick. "You are?" shouted at least three men all at once.

"Your Commander!" Fred shouted back.

"Your ass kicker if you don't let us through damn it!" yelled John and with a couple chuckles heard, five men climbed down the trees a yard or two away and motioned for them to hurry.

"Are you going to leave your post?" asked Fred.

"No way, there's three more up there." said the thinnest of the men that had climbed down. He turned to the Nephilim and bowed his head. "I'm Jake, that's Nolan, Garret, Hardy and Aiden." the other men bowed their heads and moved out to other posts, allowing Jake to lead the four back to the hide out.

The Nephilim Queen watched intently, her body slightly tense and her talons nervously tightened their hold on Fredrick's shoulders, pricking the skin as they betrayed her unease and slowly growing fear.

"Don't fear them, we're all loyal to Damon. He's and the rest of us are secret followers of you Nephilim. Our only problem is we work for the Boss. So you could see our dilemma when we were assigned to capture you for the Boss' enjoyment."

"What made you change?" She asked quietly, trying to steady her nerves.

"Each one of us has a different reason, mine is because I signed up with John and Damon. We're undercover for the Commissioner. It's taken a very, very long time for us to get to where we are in taking the Boss down. I've watched others try and get caught and can only be thankful luck is on our side. No one can know so the both of you can't tell a soul."

"I never intended to." She replied. "One way or the other, the Viper Pit will be cleansed and the Vipers will die."

Fredrick grinned, "Thata girl! Let's bring those asshole down!" John shushed him but the amusement in his face was undeniable.

The Queen was drifting off to sleep and didn't seem to hear them. "And then... We will have... a home... at last..." She murmured.

It was night by the time SwiftSpy personally made her way to Barbra's home. The candle was lit, letting her know that Barb was expecting a visit. Her Queen, SwanQueen, was safely in the arms of her Pairbond but she refused to go in the cave. She freaked and flailed and cried it scared Josh to the point he started to cry too. KnightHawk was this close to leaving and ripping off the Boss' head himself but SwiftSpy calmed him, telling him SwanQueen needed him more than anything right now and that she was going to send them a message.

She turned off her comm. link when she got to the Commissioner's place and knocked three times. After four beats the door opened with Barb's stony expression as a greeting. "I wasn't expecting-"

"I know." SwiftSpy cut off. "We've sent the Boss a message letting him know that the lives of his men will be taken from now on. He took our queen and put her in a cage underground. She can't even enter our hideout without her phobia kicking in."

"You can't do that, we had a deal-" said Barb, her voice raising slightly.

"The deal has changed! If it were your sister or your husband, what would you do?" she asked. Barb came out onto the porch and closed her door. "They were going to prod her, possibly kill her if it weren't for one of us and one of yours on the inside."

"Damon found her?"

"Yeah, he's got his men helping us."

"Good." she couldn't argue. She knew she should but she couldn't. Not when she was now forced to put herself in their shoes. Had she not taken an oath she would do it. She'd kill on a whim too but morally and ethically, she couldn't. She took a deep breath and glared at Max. "Fine, I won't stop you but if you and yours make a mess, you best bet your ass you better clean it. I'll cover for you but that's all."

The falcon-winged Nephilim nodded in agreement and they shook on it.

Barbra went back inside while SwiftSpy slowly turned around and was greeted with green eyes and red hair. Laura.

"My Aunt told me what happened. Is she going to be alright?" she asked and before answering, SwiftSpy took a good look at her eyes and noted the genuine concern and nodded. "She'll be fine. She just needs help and time."

"Can... can I come with you? I've been saving some things for the children from the village to keep them occupied..." she said, holding up her backpack of goods.

The first thought the Nephilim had was no but she thought about it for a moment. Laura had helped the queen on more than one occasion and she was very good with children so she personally didn't see why not. Nodding she stopped walking and went behind Laura and wrapped her arms around her.

Laura stiffened and her cheeks flushed, she looked over her shoulder at the coffee-skinned winged girl and locked eyes with her for just a moment before her eyes fell to her lips. Frowning at the thud in her chest, SwiftSpy jumped and flapped, taking Laura with her.

Gasping from the surprise of it, she gripped the falcon-winged Nephilim's arms and couldn't help but smile at the thrill. SwiftSpy, on the other hand, frowned the entire time. Yes her queen was on her mind, but she had a feeling so would this redhead in her arms.

Landing where the villagers were located, she announced that Laura was a safe confident and retreated when the kids Laura knew surrounded her. Laughing in delight, she opened her bag and kids dived. Laura looked over her shoulder to see SwiftSpy gone but she wasn't far away. She had hidden herself behind a big tree until she could hear the footsteps of them getting quieter and quieter before she lifted herself off the trunk and headed back for her own camp where her queen was to be resting.

When SwiftSpy saw her Queen, it was clear that resting was not on the Lady's agenda since she was limping slowly back and forth in front of the cave as her white feathers littered the ground behind her. She was trembling in terror- a sign that, once again, SwanQueen had tried and failed to win against her inner demons- but said nothing as she snarled helplessly, her eyes not entirely hiding Who was in control. Pain didn't seem to be of any concern even though the blisters on her feet were going to fill with blood if she kept pacing like that all night.

"SwanQueen, you must rest. You can't keep this up. We need you. Come on, come in and lay down." said SwiftSpy gently and motioned to lead her into the cave.

"Can't. I itch, can't rest. Too weak for a Nestling." The Queen replied, sniffing cautiously. "Fish?"

Her sister raised a brow. "What?"

Gesturing to the feathers littering the ground, she took three steps into the cave, sniffing even as she shook hard enough that her bones rattled before retreating fast. "Someone's making fish."

Her brows shot up, and she cautiously walked up to her Queen. "What's going on?" she putting a hand on SwanQueen's arm.

"Can't see sky." She shivered, wrapping her wings around herself as though she was cold. "I try and try, but the shakes start when I can't see the sky."

It didn't take long for her to realize the Queen was sporting a violent phobia. "KnightHawk!" she called and within seconds he was out of the cave by her side, the smell of fish emitting from his skin. "She's-"

"Got a phobia, I know. I realized that when I tried to bring her inside and she freaked. I'm making her and Josh fish. Want some?" he asked, embracing his mate with one arm so she didn't feel enclosed. SwiftSpy shook her head no and ran a hand through her hair. "Where's Josh?"

"In the cave, she scared him so he's keeping his distance for now." he said, trying to hide the side of his face that SwanQueen slashed to get away. SwiftSpy noticed and didn't say anything, only took a cautious step away. "This is from the cage?" nodding, KnightHawk kissed her head. "Don't worry love, we'll get you through this."

The Queen trembled again and stepped away from her mate quickly, her hip popping as she moved. "Do you want my feathers SwiftSpy?" She asked, clearly trying to regain control of herself. "You'll need to warn the humans to keep their distance this week, and it might be a good idea to drop Joshua off with the other children..."

Are you sure?" asked her pairbond, a frown marring his features. "Josh doesn't have human friends, he hangs out with us too much."

"I know someone in the village that he can stay with." replied SwiftSpy and went for the cave to bring Josh to Laura.

For a moment, his Queen did not answer. Watching another feather fall to the ground, she shook her head slowly. "This moon's molt promises to be an intense one, I think the stress brought it on early. However, you can't help me this time my love, I'm not healthy enough to have a Nestling." She eyed her thin body again. "I have no clue how much I lost, but it feels like I'm constantly hungry or thirsty."

"Don't worry, I've made enough fish to last you days." he said and when SwiftSpy came out with Joshua, she had him in her arms so he wouldn't be tempted to try and hug his winged foster mother. "Say bye Josh." he shook his head no and buried his face in her neck to hide his tears of sorrow.

Her mismatched eyes held nothing but compassion for her adopted human son as she reached out to stroke his hair with one talon-like hand. "It will be all right my little one." She said gently. "Mother just needs to know that you are safe while she heals, and I don't want to accidentally hurt you in the process."

Josh looked at her and nodded. "I love you." he confessed and waved bye for the time being.

She swallowed hard. "I love you too my son, more than you know." She hugged the boy tightly, ignoring how it made her body panic.

Joshua smiled truly for the first time since his mother came home. "Bye." he whispered and although he was worried to death it was a final goodbye, he knew in his heart that his mother would be back for him. SwiftSpy patted him on his back and walked gently down the hill to the people they watched over and scouted for Laura.

Unable to watch her human son being taken away, SwanQueen bowed her head and closed her eyes. "I'm surprised Batman and his Mentor haven't shown up yet. I thought that they had helped you find this place." She said to her mate.

KnightHawk nodded in affirmation, "They had but their gadget beeped and they took off in a matter of seconds. Batman said they would be back but they didn't know when."

"What do you want to bet they'll take one look at me and go completely postal?" She asked, starting to pace again by the fire to keep warm. "By the way, where did you get the edible vegetables from? I know they weren't ready when I left..."

Her mate smiled lightly. "I'd been growing a small patch not too far from our old hide out. It got the best of the weather in that area so I planted some seeds and sure enough a few weeks later they were almost fully grown but I pulled them anyways for just in case. Looks like I was right in the just in case department. You really needed it. Come on, I have fish cooking, it's almost done." he said and led her to a log to sit on before going inside the cave and retrieving a plate stacked high with cooked fish of various types. "I wasn't sure which ones you liked best so I had Josh fish for as many kinds as he could."

Before the Queen sat down, she took off her shirt with a soft hiss of relief. The ravages of she short time in captivity were plain to see from how thin she was. "As long as I can eat it, it will be fine my pairbond." She assured him as she sat down.

He nodded and sat beside her and handed her a piece. "Just take what you want." he said and smiled at her.

Nodding in thanks, she took the plate and ate quickly, savoring every bit of it. "How long did his mentor yell when he found my instructions?" She asked during a pause for air and a second helping.

"He didn't yell at all really, he was quite calm, like he was used to things going drastically wrong."

SwanQueen chuckled. "I'm going to get a boot on my rear though."

"Oh no doubt. The look on his face was enough to tell even Tori that. Speaking of her, she needs a name. Have you thought of any?"

"Her true name is a personal matter and it has to be her choice." She said before digging in.

The Nephilim Queen was on her last fish when Batman came down to her left with Bruce strapped to his body. When Bruce's feet touched the ground, he un-strapped himself and stood with both hands on his cane, staring at the emasculated winged girl with expression of disapproval on his face.

Before Bruce could get in a word, Batman put his jet pack away and walked up to SwanQueen, avoiding KnightHawk's warning glare. "What the hell were you thinking! Are you literally insane? Going in there by yourself! What if the boss' right hand man wasn't on your side? What if Tori hadn't come to get you out? You, I swear, are going to be the death of me and Mr. Wayne."

Swallowing the last bite of fish, the brunette's mismatched eyes flashed in deadly temper as she got to her feet with a sharp snap of her wings that scattered her loose feathers, but made no attempt to hide her half nakedness. When she spoke, she purposely enunciated her words so that they wouldn't be snarled. "There was no choice. Innocent humans would have died if I hadn't gone. I was prepared to die in the worse case scenario, but I was going to cripple them before they took me down. The others would be safe and that was my goal, while he was occupied with me the others wouldn't be touched if they followed my instructions." She shook her head. "Haven't you ever seen a mother bird feign being wounded to lead predators away from her chicks?"

"They did what they were told, to a T but Damon intercepted. I watched it play out. I was ready to attack but they introduced themselves as friends, not foes. You can't always take the fall! You have Nephilim for a reason, you have allies for a reason, you frickin' have me for a reason. Do you really think that if something happened to you, everyone would be alright? You're putting them in more danger by risking your life than saving them. What if you messed them up but you had no help and they killed you? They would have torn everything up to find your people and when they had, because believe me, they would, do you really think they'd be in any shape to fight? Without you to lead, they have nothing. You're a Queen for a reason. Your job is to protect your people while keeping yourself out of harm's way so you can keep doing it. Jesus Christ!" when he got all this out he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Look, I know you'd do anything for your people, but you can't."

Closing her eyes for a minute, SwanQueen took a deep and let it out slowly. "Nonetheless, I had to do it. 'Know thy enemy, know thyself' Batman. The danger was even worse than I feared. That man is completely insane, there is no reasoning or planning in his actions. He sees things at surface value and nothing more. Kidnapping little Carla was only a means to an end. my youngest says that he has enough ammo to wipe out this city, if not the state. I didn't see that for myself though, I was marched straight to the basement and thrown into that cage." She shuddered at the memory.

"You shouldn't have done anything of the sort in the first place!"

Her pairbond stood and stepped between them at this point. "Enough, she's been through a lot and your only stressing her out more."

"If she doesn't hear it from me she won't hear it at all."

The Queen stayed silent, but remained ready to pull her mate off of Batman if necessary. "Beloved." She warned, seeing the Other flash in his eyes.

KnightHawk relaxed and turned to her. "You don't need to be any more stressed."

"It's better for them to get it out now than to let it fester in the open wound." She replied quietly. "Are there any more vegetables left?"

"We're in the middle of an argument and all you can think about are vegetables?" exasperated, Batman turned and put his hands on his head. "Okay, I'm calm now. I'm calm." he said, taking deep breaths.

Annoyed now, the Nephilim Queen allowed a note of sharpness to enter her voice. "I have had no food or drink since the time I left here." She shifted her weight to her other leg. "Our metabolisms work differently than a human's."

Putting annoyance in his own voice, Batman replied, "See, you need help."

Not trusting her tongue or the Other to slip out and do something rash, the Queen remained silent, her only movement was to shift her wings slightly.

"Batman," said Bruce, walking closer and putting a hand on his shoulder. "she's not well. Do you know what's wrong?" he asked, his eyes narrowing, trying to pinpoint the problem.

"Again, I haven't had anything to eat or drink in two days, and my Molt is coming early, hence the feathers everywhere." SwanQueen replied. "Plus my Phobia has gotten worse and my feet are a mess."

"Meet me in my parlor tonight when you've had your fill." he said and turned, leaving the three of them. "And Batman," he called. "You're needed on the other side of town."

"I can't Mr. Wayne. I can't go indoors now."

"Tap the window, there's a perch for you to sit on."

The Queen sighed and turned to her mate. "You'll have to carry me..." She told him quietly as he returned with a second helping of vegetables.

"No problem." he said and sat down. "But first you must eat."

Nodding, the Nephilim Queen tore though the second helping quickly, flexing her wings every few minutes to shake off the loose feathers.

"Want more?"

"No, I don't want to overdue it." She shook her head. "I'm going to bathe and check my feet, then we'll leave."

"All right. Do you need help?"

"Please, but be careful. You know how I am when I'm Molting."

KnightHawk offered a small smile but in truth he was more worried about her than he'd ever been, especially now that there was a phobia setting in.

After a _very_ cold wash in the river, the Queen shivered as she dried herself and squeezed as much water out of her golden brown hair as she could before re-braiding it tightly. After she was dressed and her hair neatly coiled around her head, She hissed as she sat down to tend to her feet. "Earth And Sky, these will hurt for a while..." She muttered, flinching as she tentatively touched a blister with her fingertip.

Wincing for her, her mate opened a pouch he had tucked into his pants belt hoop and took out a leaf, string and herbs. "Tori said these will help your feet feel better as long as you don't walk on them." he put the herb on the two big leaves and tied it around her feet securely but not tight enough to hurt.

"Well, I'll try not to, but I might not have a choice..." SwanQueen sighed softly. "I won't bother with shoes. The only question I've got is: how am I going to get into the tree so you can fly?"

At this Chaos grinned. "No need. I've been working on taking off without a perch."

Startled, his mate raised her eyebrow and cocked her head. "By yourself maybe, but not carrying another person. Am I right?"

"With a person." he smirked. "I used one sack of potatoes, then two and then Joshua. You weigh less than him right now so carrying you won't be a problem."

She shifted her wings to wrap them around herself. "You are a prodigy."

Flattered, he kissed her gently. "And you are the love of my life. Don't forget that."

SwanQueen kissed back lightly, shifting to keep from leaping into his arms. "I wish I was stronger to bear your Nestling..."

"Maybe one day. We're still very young yet."

"Perhaps. It just worries me that there are no children yet." As she spoke, she let her mate pick her up so they could fly.

Once in the air after giving one strong flap, Chaos addressed her concern. "Don't fret yourself over something like that right now. We'll worry about children when our people are settled in and there's no chance of any large threats."

Curling herself tighter, the Queen settled into the rhythm of her mate's flight. "I know my love, just my instincts screaming at me."

"Believe me, I understand."

When they got to Wayne manor. Her mate dropped her off on the ledge she pointed to and jumped off, presumably to check the greenhouse that Bruce was letting them barrow for the time being, but the Queen knew that he was trying to give them a bit of privacy. Smiling to herself, SwanQueen tapped on the window to be rewarded with Ace's deep barks. "Earth and Sky please don't let him jump!" She begged softly as she waited patiently for Bruce.

After a few moments Ace moved away from the window and the aging man appeared. He told Ace to sit and stay and opened the window. He patted Ace on the head and let the canine hoist himself up on the window far enough to let the young queen pat his head. "I trust you got here safely?" asked the old man, all serious and business on the outside. On the inside he was like a worried father.  
The Queen caressed the Dane's ears and kissed his cold wet nose before answering. "Yes, my mate is nearby, I believe he is off checking the greenhouse." She said quietly as she shifted to make herself more comfortable on her perch. Seeing that Ace looked ready to join her, she resumed petting him.

"I'm not going to reprimand you, Terry did enough of that today and what's done is done. I will say, however, that what you did was foolish and in the future, take care not to do such things ever again."

SwanQueen sighed. "I knew that, but there wasn't any other choice. I didn't know what he would do to the others, and I couldn't take the chance that he'd take advantage of their being whole."

"And now you have a phobia of being in any confined space." Bruce sighed and shook his head. "You're going to have to wake up and realize there are more important things you need to be doing than risking your life."

The Nephilim Queen sighed too. "I know."

Accepting the answer, Bruce nodded. "Now, I've talked with Barbra and together we came up with an idea. I'm not sure how do-able this idea is but it would help you."

Looking wary, the Queen raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"It was brought to my attention that you now have an 'army' per say, at your mercy. A human one. Perhaps it would be in your best interest if you and your team of scientists came up with a way to make a Nephilim formula for your army."

"It's slow going, and even then it won't be the 'complete' version." She said quietly, turning slightly to stare off into the darkness. "But we are trying the best we can."

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked, knowing his help would be limited since he wasn't getting any younger but the offer still escaped his lips.

"You have any bird encyclopedias?" Her tone was wistful.

Bruce merely raised a brow, turned to his book shelf and muttered, "Of all the damned things to ask for..." after a couple moments of looking through the shelves, he found what he was looking for and came back with a book in hand.

She reached in as far as she could, grinding her teeth as her hands shook while she took the heavy book from him. "How recent and accurate is this book?" The Queen asked. "I know most the recent lot of them are in electronic form now but..."

"This year's edition. I always request a text form of the latest."

The Queen nodded in approval as she shifted the thick and heavy book in her arms. "Thank you very much." She cocked her head to the side in curiosity. "I know the mayor said we were allies, but what about the financial end of things? Am I going to be flooded with business contracts when this settles down?"

Bruce only raised an eyebrow. "Business contracts?" he asked, clearly not understanding what she was getting at.

"I need to know how many fingers are going to be poked at me once the Viper Pit is cleared out and we start remodeling it."

"That you needn't worry yourself about." he said with a stern look, obvious he was going to take care of the financial part.

Her shoulders relaxed, but she didn't allow the relief to show. "Thank you."

Bruce nodded, seeing through her facade. "If you need anything, let me know. I understand how uncomfortable it can be trusting and dealing with people you aren't used to."

She nodded in thanks. "It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't see us as human freaks, I'd prefer they saw us as divine and treated us with respect while letting us do what we have to do."

"It will come with time." he said, knowing that time and patience was all it took for people to come around and truly appreciate all you've done for them.

The Queen sighed. "It will be much easier once we are settled... Still, I need to decide on a mark..."

"Mark?"

"I want something that will tell who are the ones who belong to me and who are the ones that don't belong there. Something that will make the outsiders stand out like sore thumbs. I'm getting very tired of finding Viper spies in my nest." She sighed sadly. "I don't want to take away the freedom of the ones I'm protecting, but I need a way to tell them apart quickly."

"Perhaps a tattoo of some sort."

"I think that would be too easy to copy." She stroked her braid thoughtfully. "And scaring is too permanent..."

"A ring with a hidden branding that only you and yours would know where to look for it?"

She frowned. "That might work for everyday, but it would be hard to tell who's who in an emergency."

"Shave a part of their hair at the back off and imprint them. In an emergency all you have to do is part their hair and look for the mark."

Her smile lit up her face. "Brilliant! That might just work..."

Bruce smiled back, pleased that she was pleased. "Is there anything else you need assistance with?"

The Queen resumed plunging into the deeper parts of her brain as she mentally thumbed through her list. "Would you happen to know a Linguist? Or a farmer?"

Nodding, Bruce cocked his head to the side. "How many?"

She bit her lip hard. "I would like to come up with a new written and spoken language for my people. I also need chickens, cows, sheep..." Here the Queen paused, ticking items off her small fingers. "Maybe pigs? Plus seeds for new food sources..."

"That," he said and scratched his head. "would cost you."

"What about babies instead of adults?" She asked shrewdly.

"I was referring to you giving back to them. Money isn't something they need. They'd need the right seeds and they'd need to know that they could rely to compensate them should anything go wrong. You're dealing with farmers, not business men."

Tapping her talons softly on the perch, she frowned again. "Maybe we could create greenhouses..." She was thinking out loud.

"With a farmers help it would be do-able."

The queen frowned, still lost in thought as she shifted her wings.

"Take the rest of the day to rest." he said, more like ordered, noticing how she looked more tired every time he saw her.

"Tell that to my ever growing list." She hid a yawn with her hand as she scanned the ground for her Pairbond.

"Don't you have people to help you with that?" he asked.

"Their memories haven't faded yet." She replied quietly. "They do the small tasks, but the big tasks have to be done personally in order to be binding to us all."

"What do their memories have to do with anything?"

"The memories of our human lives will fade away, Everything before a person's 'rebirth' is slowly set at remove until it is entirely forgotten."

"I see." after a moment, Chaos landed on the perch beside his Pairbond. "Ready?" he asked.

She turned her head to look at Bruce with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm done here." said Bruce and with one last final look to SwanQueen, he closed the window and drew the curtain.

The Nephilim Queen sighed softly. "Anything?" She asked her mate, sounding tired.

Knowing what his pairbond was thinking, he lifted her off the perch, took a step off the perch and they jolted down for only a second until Chaos' wings flapped and they were air born. "The greenhouse is fine, believe me. When you're less tired you can go in and stay for a couple hours."

She sighed and made herself smaller while tucking her wings in. "How do you read my mind like that?" His queen eyed her mate. "I can't be _that_ transparent..."

"Only to me my sweet." he said with a small smile but looked ahead to concentrate on flying. "When you're not so tired, I have a place I would very much like to show you."

"Oh?" she asked, fighting the urge to close her eyes. "What kind of a place pairbond?"

"It's a surprise." he kissed her forehead. "Rest now, you're safe."

Feeling safe for the first time since she'd been in the cage, the young Queen slept in her pairbond's arms.


	20. Shadows and Secrets

Author's notes: Thanks as always to Inu-midoriko for working with me on this chapter. Sorry for the long wait between updates. Please enjoy the read and remember to review!

* * *

It was around noon when the other shoe seemed to drop on the human side of things. the Commissioner was just about to enjoy her lunch when someone knocked at the door and one of her officers poked her head in.

"Ma'am, there's a woman who just arrived and is asking to see you directly. She's very nervous and won't talk to anyone else. What would you like me to do?" The officer sounded nervous too, which was never a good sign.

Cocking a brow, Barbra put her sandwich in her desk and said in a curt tone, "Send her in."

When the woman entered the room, you could almost hear the click of a key turning in the lock. She moved with a sense of purpose and belonging, her intense brown eyes seemed to hold flecks of gold as they swept the room. Her hair was cut very short in front, but a long full tail hung between her shoulder blades in the back. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice Commissioner." She said politely as she took a careful seat.

Barbra nodded and motioned to a chair in front of her desk. "What can I do for you, Ms...?"

"Wittenberg, Moira Wittenberg. I was a... friend and colleague of the late Alexis Fairchild. Have you had any luck finding her killer?"

Sitting up straight, Barbra only assessed the woman in front of her. "I've never heard of you before, why are you only coming to us now when we could have used your knowledge when we were first trying to find him?"

"I had my reasons, one of which you are in contact with on a semi-regular basis." Moira replied dryly.

"Does said reason know you're here?" she asked, catching on to whom Moira was talking about.

"No she does not, I doubt she remembers me at this point in her development." Her voice was level.

"What is it you have to offer?" asked Barb, knowing that no one came to the police like this, especially so far into an investigation, without having something to offer and in return, getting something back.

"I know some of what Alexis was working on, what her goals were. And who might want her dead aside from the late Cuvier's followers. I also come baring a warning regarding the Nephilim."

"Warning? Hold on a second, start over. What is it you know?" she pulled out a notebook and pen. "I'm going to have to write this down for the file on the case. I can assure you, everything said is purely confidential.  
The brown-haired woman made herself more comfortable in the chair. "Where would you like me to start?" Moira asked politely.

"The beginning, how you two met, to her death."

"We met in college, you could go so far as to say that we were enemies in the classroom. She was a very intelligent woman with the determination of a steel trap. Once she had her teeth into an idea, the only thing you could do was move out of the way before you got crushed. From the very beginning, she was obsessed with the idea of creating a higher race of people, 'evolving the food chain' she called it." Moira's lips quirked into a smile. "The more the professors said impossible, the higher the lengths Alexis would go to prove them wrong."

"We've all witnessed first hand what she did to get there. How did you fit into her life? You said you were enemies, that now makes you a suspect."

"I was her lab partner, at least at first. When her research was stolen, I went over to Cuvier's side to see exactly what he was doing, with her blessing. I might not have liked her professionally, but I still cared about her, and little Arianna." Moira replied.

"She's not so little anymore." she said, and put her note pad down for a moment. "What did she have planned?"

"You mean her ultimate goal? That, I'll admit I don't know. But I do know that it _wasn't_ what Arianna's up to now. To be honest, I don't think she had one."

"Why are you coming to me now?"

Moira looked sad and regretful. "Because they are a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Without Alexis they are like children fumbling in the dark. They are working blind, and they will not accept help from someone who isn't 'one of them'."

"And you need someone they trust to relay the messages."

"I need to know exactly how evolved the Queen has become. I'm already seeing that she is keeping you at arm's length- that you have to pry every bit of information out of her, and I get the sense that she would keep you farther if she thought it was safe enough to do so."

"She's acting like an adult, making decisions an adult should be making. She's got too much on her shoulders and every time I see her, I see a more drained, more burdened Arianna. She's got a human ward, and also looks after a little boy named Kyle, and just recently recruited a third Nephilim. Every so often she goes to a the poorer part of Gotham. She calls it her village but she's taken them and her people elsewhere. As far as I know, she was captured by a Mafia leader going by the alias as 'Boss'. Her current base, as you assumed, I don't know. She trusts me, but she doesn't trust me that much."

That did not seem to satisfy Moira. "Does she still remember her name?" Her voice sounded quiet but intense.

"She goes by Queen and mi'lady, so I would assume at this point, no."

The other woman seemed to deflate then. "Damnit Alexis, was that in your plans too." She said quietly.

"What do you mean? This could simply be a defect in the formula. She is the very first one am I correct?"

Moira muttered some choice words under her breath. "From what I understood the night she was 'born' it's inbred that whenever a Nephilim is 'born' there is a limited window in which knowledge can be 'imprinted' for lack of a better word. _Anything_ that is learned during this time is never forgotten. That knowledge is written in their bones and _cannot_ be overridden."

"How does that help us? So they have the memory of an elephant, what else have you to offer? At this point, you're not tell me anything I wouldn't have figured out on my own. I'm aware she's loosing more and more of her human self and now you're telling me everything will be written in stone. Gotchya. What else?"

"What if I told you that within two- maybe three- generations the Nephilim won't care about what happens to this city? Once they get what they need, the only humans that they will tolerate are the... servants that they have marked as their own. Human laws and customs won't matter shit to them. And you won't be dealing the calmer breed like those of the current Queen. If you cross one of the fighter types, you're dead."

"That," she said with raise brows. "is something I needed to know. You said once they know something, it's written in stone forever. That can't be true if they learn that, once they help clean the city, its their home and they can trust all the residents in it. Unless of course there's a piece of information you're with holding, or don't know."

Moira's eyes flashed in bitter triumph. "Oh, they'll protect their portion of Gotham. But the Nephilim are very territorial and won't step outside their territory. Am I wrong in assuming they've already chosen where they will make a permanent nest?"

"You'd be correct in assuming that, yes. As long as they get the Narrows straightened up, my department can handle the rest."

"I hope you weren't intending to have jurisdiction in their area." Moira sounded slightly amused. "I think you'll find out their dark side in fairly short order."

"We've already cleared up our 'areas' with Arianna. She knows her boundaries, and we know ours."

Moira nodded. "Things can change without warning. Alexis trained the test subject well."

"Either that or she forgot to remind the test subject about honor and the importance of keeping one's word."

"That, I can't say, but I can guess at how the subject thinks."

"If you can guess correctly then your assistance in keeping watch over them would be greatly appreciated."

"I doubt that she would let me get so close to her." Moira admitted. "She might not remember who I am anymore."

"I don't think she's that far gone." said Barbra, but put her head in her hands and rubbed her temples. Clearly this new information was becoming quite stressful.

Moira's brown eyes held a bit of sympathy for the Commissioner, but the woman stayed quiet, waiting for the next question.

"Okay," said Barb, lifting her head, her face now composed. "how long are you staying? I'm going to be having many other questions and as much I like to think I can handle them myself, if I don't know how they're going to be in the future, I'm going to have one hell of a time trying to anticipate their reactions myself."

"I'll stay as long as I can, but I might have to run if the Queen gets whiff of me." Moira replied levelly. "Right now I'm a very dangerous person in their eyes."

'Not if they don't know you're here yet. I want you hidden from them until the right moment." said Barbra, straightening her glasses, indicating she wasn't about to change her mind.

Moira shook her head. "It would be better if you are honest with them. If you kept me hidden on purpose, they will doubt your credibility- and those of your higher ups as well. It may have been a while since you threatened to kill upon capture, but for them that threat is still very real in their minds."

"I see... Alright then. I'll call upon Arianna tonight and let her know you've arrived in Gotham."

The woman nodded and rose to her feet. "Thank you."

Thirty minutes after Barbra lit her candle, she heard the distinct flutter and gentle thump outside her door. Opening the large oak frame, she wasn't at all surprised to see the Queen leaning on the rail for support, her expression regal. "I thank you for coming on such short notice." said Barbra, closing the door behind her and leaning on the wall of her house, imitating the Queen's relaxed, yet guarded stance.

Before SwanQueen could speak, SwiftSpy landed behind her holding a box. Folding her dark gray wings, the falcon-winged Nephilim stepped onto Barbra's pouch without a word and pulled out a seat with a pointed look to her queen.

Looking amused and affectionate, the Nephilim Queen smiled at her eldest before hobbling to the chair with a wince and settling into it as SwiftSpy examined the bandages on her small feet before putting them into the box. "Two hours." She said quietly as SwiftSpy rose to her feet.

Nodding, the falcon-winged Nephilim bowed to her Queen and took to flight again after a running start and a leap off a car.

SwanQueen chuckled softly. "My mate must be irritated with me. My apologies Commissioner."

Barbra only smiled and nodded. "It's alright. How have you been?" she asked, deciding to go with a bit of small talk first hauling in the big news.

"I've had better days. Between my claustrophobia and my feet being slow to heal, I'm glad the others have a secure spot." She admitted. "Today was the first time I've flown in two weeks."

"Had I known your feet were still a problem I would have offered you a seat of my own." she replied and took a seat herself on the love seat she usually shared with her husband on quiet nights. Those were now far and few between. "Listen, I know you have a lot on your plate right now but there's something you need to know. And before you go haywire, I just want to let you know I, personally, am keeping a close eye on her. Do you remember Moira Wittenberg?"

For a moment, the Nephilim queen's mismatched eyes glazed over slightly as her mind turned inwards. When she finally spoke, her voice was hesitant. "I... do not recall. It's possible that I can't put a face to the name though."  
"She worked with your mother. One of the few she let close enough to her work to know the basis of what was going on. She's useful for information. She's told me a couple things that would have been a bitch to find out on my own. I'm sure if you have any questions she could answer them."

Alarm shrilling through her body, SwanQueen found herself on her feet fast enough that bolts of pain lanced though the offending limbs before it fully registered that she was indeed standing upright. Her face was drained of color and it appeared as though she would pass out at any moment. "How? Where did she hide that I could not find her while still surviving the Purge?" The Queen choked out

"Sit down!" Barbra said and stood, gently pushing the Queen back into her seat. "She hasn't revealed to me where she was staying, but she's here now and willing to help."

Gripping the armrests of the chair, the queen remained still ever as her talon-like nails scored the paint from the chair. "Is it possible that this is a trick?"

"Of course it's possible, but we're not in the position to accuse her of it. Let's just see what she has to offer and the minute she does anything suspicious, I'll let you loose on her. In the meantime, I'm watching her."

Nodding, the Nephilim queen still looked very tense. From the drumming of her hand, SwanQueen was finding this very hard to grasp.

"Arrange a date and time and I'll make sure she's there. But on my turf. I want the two of you in my interrogation room. The conversation must be recorded for record."

Shifting slightly, the queen took a deep breath, but for a long time she remained quiet. Clearly she was still wresting with this issue.

Her face softening, Barb put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry. You've got an army and the Gotham Police behind you. You're a great leader SwanQueen, just don't loose sight of what's important."

"I don't remember her." SwanQueen said softly. "I can't picture her face at all..."

"She said that might happen. I told her you weren't that far gone yet. She also said that everything you learn here on out is written in stone in your bones. Meaning if I betrayed you, you would always remember that no matter what I did or said to win back your trust."

"That much I knew." She replied, opening her eyes again. "The Creator was teaching me, but everything after that completely contradicted my training."

"The best thing to do would be to meet her and feel her out, find out what she's about and what her intentions are."

SwanQueen nodded again slowly. "I will meet with her, but it will be a private meeting. Only three people will be present: myself, you, and her."

"Done deal. I'll inform her. When do you want the meeting?"

The Nephilim queen looked down at her bandaged feet and frowned quietly. "Whenever my feet decide to heal up."

Nodding in affirmation, Barbra stood. "Alright, let me know and I'll set up the time and date."

SwanQueen made no move to stand, though perhaps this was because she could not. "How are things on this end?" She asked.

Frowning, she took note of the brunette's lack of movement and sat back down. "Good. Slow, but good. I have a spy initiated close to the Boss. From what I've heard, it won't be long before his main lackeys get taken down. I'll save him for you though. We already have a file big enough to fill three hefty files on him. The only thing now is actually taking him down. My precinct and I have decided to leave him for you and yours."

"Good, the plan worked then despite it not going where I intended." Frowning, she shifted her feet and winced slightly. "I'm glad that the effort wasn't wasted, I hadn't counted on his insanity or his stupidity. How are the people since I haven't been making my customary circuits?"

"They're well, missing you, but well." she again stood and asked her to not move. Going into her home, walked swiftly to the kitchen and grabbed a bucket, two soft sponges and bath salts. Filling the bucket with warm water and adding the salts, she came back out and put the bucket at her feet. Kneeling on one foot, she picked up the Queen's foot and unwrapped the bandages. Gently, she put the Queen's feet in the soothing water and had her rest her feet on the soft, squishy sponges so to not hurt the bottoms of her feet with the hard surface of the bucket. "Feel better?" she asked, leaning back.

Relief lit up the Queen's face and she nodded. "Thank you for your kindness. My body doesn't heal very well, my feet in particular." She smiled. "I'm also glad that the others are well and not ready to tear down the city yet. It worried me because they wanted to stay where they were so that I could be informed of trouble."

"Well rest assured, they're doing fine and are well protected. Are you needed back soon?" she asked, a small frown playing at her features, obviously torn between rejection to an offer that was to come and wanting to stay clear of it altogether.

"I told my sister to check on me in two hours, so we have time if you'd like to talk about something Commissioner." The Queen replied studying Barbra's face.

"In that case, would you be opposed to tea and biscuits? Vegan biscuits, but biscuits none the less." she said with a hesitant smile. It was obvious she didn't have many visitors come to her home very often.

After a thoughtful nod, she smiled. "That sounds lovely, I will try them." It was a huge leap of faith for the Queen to try 'human' food again. "I have some jerky if you would like to share."

Smiling at the Queen's generosity, Barbra went inside to boil water for their tea and grabbed the box of vegan biscuits she made with small saucers to lay them on. When the kettle whistled, she grabbed their cups with tea leaves and poured water in them just before the brim. Bringing them back out, she laid the Queen's tea on the small round table near her and held her own in her hands as she watched the winged girl across from her eat. "You haven't relaxed very much lately, have you?" she asked and took an offered jerky.

SwanQueen took a large piece of jerky and nibbled on it as she shook her head. "I haven't. I've been too busy trying to keep us all alive while trying to recover my strength."

"You can't do both, it'll cancel each other out and you'll be the same or get worse. Once a week, come see me and we'll have tea for a couple hours. You of all people should know how taxing it is to be on the constant move with no relax time. I know. And believe me, it doesn't get easier."

The Nephilim queen sighed, looking tired. "He's insane, only the fact that I'm a natural virus to human technology saved my life. The others don't have even that protection yet."

"Do you suppose each Nephilim born gains an ability similar based on their specialty and bird type?"

"If our Creator was still alive, I would say yes without hesitation. Now I just don't know. I have a feeling that I was given the advanced version, whether the ones I saved were test vials or complete I don't know. All I can do is wait and hope." The Queen carefully did not mention making more of the formula.

Barbra nodded and sipped her tea, cringing because it was still hot. "What did you like to do as a girl?" she asked suddenly.

"In between reading, studying, and helping the Creator in her lab when it was required you mean? I enjoyed gardening, embroidering and designing my own clothing. I also grew and prepared my own dyes as well as spinning my own yarn." The Nephilim queen answered.

"You never played with other kids?" she asked, this time blowing her tea gently before taking a sip. "Surely you had some friends?"

"Not really, I was too bookish and not cool enough. I was friendly, and whenever a project came up I was the one they clamored for as a partner- which nine times out of ten meant I did it solo- bad grades meant a visit by a switch so I never threw a project that could damage my grades." She sipped her own tea and looked pleased. "You filtered the water."

"Clean water is the best kind." she said with a smile. "Were you ever lonely?" she asked, curiosity coming into play but also a light hesitation, fearing she might overstep her boundaries. She was, in a way, seeing where the Queen drew the line.

"Sometimes, but not often. The Creator always had time for me and stood up for me when I was too polite." She frowned slightly. "I'm going to sound like a snob, but I really didn't like kids my own age, they all seemed like airheads or Barbie dolls."

At this Barbra laughed. "Believe me, I understand. They don't appreciate the mind or everything the human body is capable of." smiling, she asked, "How much do you know of the original Batman?"

"Enough to know that his student is going to miss the bar his teacher set." She replied, nibbling on a biscuit and turning it experimentally in her mouth before carefully swallowing. "He would have made a very fine Nephilim."

"A teacher can only set the bar, it's up to the student to grasp it. Even more so to pass it."

"That's true. I hope I'm passing all right..." She sighed.

"Unfortunately there's no way to know for sure, but I'm sure you're grasping just fine."

The Nephilim queen sighed and took another sip of her tea. "I'm glad my feet aren't bleeding again, hopefully my feet are finally healing up..."

"Stay off them and I'm more than sure they will." said Barbra smiling lightly.

SwanQueen gave a smile and a tired laugh. "Well, that's what happens when you are trying to be everywhere at once and think ahead in the process."

"Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing to make footwear?"

"The others have footwear already, but my case makes things a bit more complicated." She curled her feet slightly in the water. "My braces are the real problem, but as things stand..."

Leaning forward, Barbra grinned. "You've recruited an inventor, I'm sure between her, SwiftSpy and yourself, you can come up with something."

"True, but that's going to need to take a back seat if I'm going to kill that rabid dog."

"You work on the plan, they'll work on the footwear. Then, when all of you are done with your plans, and ideas, present them to one another."

"I'll see if they can't work something out later." The Queen promised.

Finishing her tea, Barbra set it down. "Did you have any questions?"

"How is the mayor taking everything?"

"Quite well considering everything. I fear, however, that he may be pushed over the edge should anything else arises."

Drumming her fingers on her chair, she frowned. "That's not good, if he snaps I'll have to step in." This was part talking aloud and part warning.

"No, no, no." said Barbra. "I will step in. No offence, but he'd be more willing to listen to me than you. If you want to sit in on my conversation with him then that'd be fine, but you do not go to him alone."

"I'm more concerned about what will happen if he snaps and has to be removed from office." She clarified.

"That," she said sternly but gently. "would be a human issue. Just like us humans don't interfere with your Nephilim politics, you don't interfere with ours."

That proved to be going a step too far even for Barbra as the Queen suddenly snapped to attention and the polite mask dropped from her face while her wings flexed. "It is a Nephilim issue because I refuse to risk my people on the chance that the next Mayor be against us." She said quietly. "If you were a Queen, what would you do in my place?"

"As Queen, I would have no choice but to follow the rules I set in the first place. I would have no choice but to put forth the trust I perceive to have for the humans who trust me as well." said the Commissioner without hesitation, her mask falling as well. "The Mayor snapping doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone. You and I have the most powerful voices in Gotham, aside from the Mayor himself. If we go alone to him, we are weak and he can throw us out no problem. If we go together, we at least stand a chance."

Nothing showed in those feral mismatched eyes to show that those words were getting though and her talons sliced the palms of her hands. "Remember that I wear jesses because that is my choice, but I will not let them stop me from protecting what I gave my oath over my Creator's body for by whatever means required." She said finally, fighting for speech. "I have killed as a fledgling, and I will do so again if necessary."

"Calm down!" snapped Barbra, her voice rising. "Listen to what's being said to you! This is exactly the reason why war would break us apart. If you let your feral side take over in every situation without listening to what others are saying, then you're proving to be no better than the Mayor himself."

Suddenly the Queen shuddered and blinked, opening her hands and staring at her bleeding palms without comprehension. "Skies above and Earth below..." She muttered, the feral side hidden again.

Exhaling, to relieve the tension in her, Barbra stood. "All I ask is if the Mayor snaps, you do not go without me. We're stronger as one than separate."

"What? Oh, yes of course." She said in a voice that shook as much as her hands.

Giving her a stern look, Barbra went back into her home and grabbed a soft green blanket. Coming back out she wrapped it around the Queen's shoulders. "Its twined with real and faux fur. A close friend of mine and Bruce's used to own it. I'd like you to have it."

"Thank you very much." The queen tentatively licked one of the cuts on her hand and seemed to steady a little. "Did I say anything offensive?"

"Nothing that can't be forgiven." she replied. "Would you like a bandage?"

She licked another cut. "They aren't that deep, Earth and Sky knows I've done worse to myself." The blood seemed to be steadying her.

"Just take it easy..." said Barbra, trailing off.

SwanQueen stopped trembling, but her wings were wrapped even tighter around her fragile body than the blanket that Barbra had given her. "Did I hurt you?" The Nephilim queen asked reluctantly.

Putting a hand on Arianna's head and moving it down to her cheek, she smiled. "No, but I'm glad you're kind enough to ask."

"It is not often my other side shoves me out of the way, usually it's more controlled."

"It's alright, you want to protect yours, that's understandable. Just remember it's better and much easier to go into battle with allies than alone."

The queen nodded. "What else did you want to ask me?"

"Have you ever thought about just leaving Gotham? Wouldn't that make things so much easier for you?"

"I considered it, and to be truthful, I still am. If my... ability... keeps increasing I might not have a choice. At the time though, I didn't know where to go or have any real resources aside from whatever I had on me."

"Perhaps if we made that part of Gotham technology free, it wouldn't be such a big problem?"

She nodded slowly. "That would mean everything practically, and I have no idea how much more my abilities will grow, or what abilities might pop up in the others- if any."

"Well for now, we'll have to play it by ear. In the meantime, document everything from where you're mother left off."

She raised her eyebrow. "Already am."

"Good. Your two hours is almost up, you might want to get a move on."

The Queen took her feet out of the now cold water and was just about to dry them when a black streak thundered to a landing. "Pairbond." She greeted calmly, as though she did not see his anger.

"You were given two hours." he said in a deadly calm.

"Yes, I was just wrapping up while I was waiting." The queen replied, knowing that he was still angry about her flying solo by launching off the tree.

He shot his pairbond a look. "How were you planning on taking off? Jumping out of another tree? You realize branches are not good for wings of our size." he said, annoyance and love rolling off him in waves. Usually SwiftSpy was sent to fetch their queen from her expeditions, leaving Knighthawk to guard the hideout and go over battle ideas with the officers and new army, so the fact her mate himself came, meant it was a serious matter to him and he wasn't kidding around.

"Why use a tree when there's a roof handy?" She asked coolly, glaring at her beloved for lecturing her in front of the humans.

Unmoved by her glare the Queen's mate regarded her coolly. "And how were you planning on getting up there with your feet in their condition?"

"Using my arms to pull myself up while using my toes as support."

"No, that's unacceptable. You _know_ your feet, including your toes, are tarnished enough."

"We've already tried a parachute take off, and it didn't work." She reminded her mate, forgetting Barbra was still present.

"If I may, perhaps a ramp take off would have more success?" suggested Barbra.

The Nephilim queen jumped out of her skin. "That would work if I was a runner, but I'm a plummeter."

"One person jumps on the end that's up while you stand on the end that's down. When they jump, you plummet into the air, release your wings and fly."

She look at her mate. "I don't think it would give enough height..."

"I think it would if given enough momentum."

The queen pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll see if I can't tweak it somehow..." She muttered as she bent to rewrap her cold feet in the bandages.

"Take care, SwanQueen. I'll be seeing you again soon." she said and took her dishes and biscuits in after nodding farewell to Chaos.

Days later, after the Queen and Barbra met with each other, Laura walked into the forest in search of the villagers. She always had trouble figuring out if she turned left or right and how far in the people were.  
"You take a left." said a voice from a tree behind her. Spinning around, Laura's auburn hair swinging around with her.

"Hi," she said breathlessly. The falcon-winged Nephilim had always given her butterflies in her stomach, for she was beautiful and strong but today... there was something different in the way she looked at her. For once there was no suspicion or hatred but something else...something that looked along the lines of desire and under the dark skinned woman's gaze, Laura looked down at herself to see if her tank top had ridden low. When it had, she pulled it up and looked back up only to find SwiftSpy gone.

Feeling incredibly disappointed, Laura took the left and within ten minutes she was at the village. Several children ran to her and giggling at their childish innocence and their inquiries about whether or not she brought gifts for them, Laura opened her fairly heavy backpack and handed each child and teen a chocolate bar while she saved the most important of good for the parents to use for food or warmth for their children.  
Suddenly her skin prickled and she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Looking up, her eyes locked with deep brown and they stayed that way for what seemed like forever before SwiftSpy turned on the branch she stood on, and flew back to her campsite.

A few minutes later, the Queen walked slowly into the village using a walking stick for support with her youngest at her side. SageSarrow did _not_ look happy that her queen was walking, but she did enjoy the new brace-like boots they had made for their queen. When she saw Laura, she smile of welcome didn't quite erase the strained worry in her mismatched eyes. "Everyone looks happy today!"

Smiling at the Queen and her Aunt, she walked up to them and gave a small curtsy bow. "Good afternoon. What brings you to the village?"

"Just came to check up on things, and I heard the children laughing so I decided to come and say hello." She replied, nodding to Laura as she caressed each child's head in greeting to avoid getting bowled over. "Anything new on your end Laura?

"No, not really. Found a possible link to the boss through one of my classmates at school so I'm keeping a close eye on him. I can't prove anything yet so I haven't bothered going to GPD about him."

Although the Queen froze for a minute, she gave no other reaction. "How is the mood in the school?" She asked finally.

For a moment Laura said nothing. "There are sides. Anti-Nephilim and Pro-Nephilim. The sides are about equal in numbers with maybe a few more on our side but I can't tell really, people change their mind about you guys left right and center. I think what most of them need is proof that you're not the bad guy. I can only guess most of them are Anti-Nephilim because they don't know much, if anything, about you."

The Queen nodded slowly. "And unfortunately I have no time to explain everything." She muttered.

"I'm sure they'll all eventually come around once they see the good you're planning on doing." said Laura with a sweet smile that held all the confidence in the world for it. "In the meantime, the Pro Nephilim group and I are designing something that I hope will help."

SwanQueen raised an eyebrow, but the children were urging her to sit down before she could ask. SageSparrow smirked as her Queen obediently took the seat that was offered- and took the weight off her feet for a few minutes.  
"It's for your wings. You use them an awful lot. I haven't touched them but I can only assume they're more fragile than they look. My group and I are designing a shield of sorts, if you will. Eventually we're going to make them bullet proof but for now they protect against sharp things, wind, any form of bend, twist etc, that will result in the snapping of a bone. We're working on a way to make it mold to your wings and solidify completely around every feather until you're ready to take it off." Laura explained and quickly added in. "We'll run it by you first, of course, when we have the finished product ready."

"Will the shield need to be adapted for each wing type, and will it interfere with flight?" The Queen asked, sounding impressed when while hunting for possible flaws.

"We thought of that," she replied with a smile. "That's why we're designing it to mold to each and every feather. It will be strong as steel but light and flexible like rubber. It's definitely a challenge but my team is talented, we'll figure it out."

SwanQueen nodded. "Good work, please convey my thanks to your team, and I will thank them personally when time permits." The Queen started to stand again, then paused and unfolded her wing slightly to Laura. "Would you like to see my wing?"

"Yes please! That would very much help us." she said and came in close to examine her wing's structure and contours.

Her wing's white feathers gleamed in the light, there were hundreds of them, each connected in a complicated network of fragile skin. Laura could see the wing muscle quiver as the Queen held her wing steady for her. You could tell just by the wing type that the Queen had not been designed for the battlefield of the streets, but the battlefield of words. Standing this close, Laura could smell a slightly musty scent on her feathers.

"If all the wings are this complicated then my team has a lot of work to do." she said but grinned. "We best make it faster." she said and look one last long look before she leaned away from the wing to give the queen space and room to put down her wing and rest. "I thank you, for allowing me the privilege." she said with a slight bow, knowing that most people, namely humans, would only be able to dream of being that close to the queen's wings, being as fragile as they are.

"It will be hard for your team to do this because our feathers more or less constantly replace themselves just like our avian counterparts. and every individual has a different type of feather as the wings are slightly different in structure. Mine, for example, are waterproof. SwiftSpy's- in contrast- are designed for speed." SwanQueen smiled as she folded her wing in relief.

"It will be difficult but if you allow, I'll have to ask my Aunt and perhaps Courtney for ideas."

Without realizing it, the Nephilim queen took a step backwards. "I'm not sure Courtney can be approached safely... SageSparrow?"

"Not yet. Pass on the messages to me and I'll see what I can do. Otherwise you'd be scaring a deer already frightened from headlights." she replied and Laura complied.

"There won't be many ideas questions, more so what compound works with what best." the ideas I'm looking for from you, Aunt SageSparrow." she made the switch from 'Aunt Tori' to 'Aunt SageSparrow' quickly so not to anger the queen with their real birth given names.

The Queen nodded, her attention already shifting to other matters even as she absently played with the children. "How long will you be here Laura?" She asked.

"I was going to head out in an hour or so to see how Chester was coming with the materials but if you need me I can stay longer."

"I was going to ask if you could watch over the children tonight while I was out, but I just remembered that it's a school night and you can't afford to skip." The Queen sighed. "Half the time it's a miracle I know what day it is..."

Laura only smiled. "Not to worry, I don't mind skipping a day, I'm all caught up in my notes anyway. Besides, if there's an emergency at school, the team knows to call my cell."

"But the question is: are you known by most as my ally? As an ally, you have to walk a very careful line. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt." The Queen looked tired but honestly concerned with Laura's welfare.

"The whole school knows I'm your ally. From the first day I escorted you to your locker they knew but now it's more prominent because I'm one of the most active Pro Nephilim individuals at school." putting a reassuring hand on her Queen's arm for just a moment, Laura said, "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself, remember?" she said, referring to the day she was walking back from her Aunt's apartment and almost got beaten by a few thugs but had quickly shown them it was their mistake for choosing her as their victim.

For a moment the Queen took a deep breath and looked to the heavens as she weighed the choices. "Just this once. SageSparrow, remind me to write this down later..."

"Sure." said SageSparrow with a smile but gave her niece a glance, telling her to not stress her more than needed.

Eyeing the sun's movement, the Queen snarled very softly so as not to scare the children. "I better hurry, or I'll be late." She muttered. Kissing the children's heads one last time, she stood and took off at a hopping run down the path they were using as a street.

"Be careful alright?" she asked SageSparrow and without waiting for a reply, took off after her Queen. Saluting but being completely serious, Laura turned to the kids and smiled. "Who wants dinner?" when they all cheered and asked for candy Laura giggled and sarcastically told them 'sure just let me call the dentist'. Looking up, she locked gazes with SwiftSpy and her stomach flipped while her heart jolted, leaving her feeling light headed. She opened her mouth to say something but the tanned skinned woman took off, leaving Laura to gaze after her silhouette in the direction her Aunt and Queen went.

Seeing the 'flying tree' as they called it, the Nephilim Queen slowed her pace slightly. Despite whatever she told the others, climbing this- or any other- tree was no picnic even in her top shape. Her personal preference were ladders. "You going to be nice tonight?" The Queen asked the tree.

As if in answer, when the wind blew, the branches spread in time for her to climb up to the thick branch without getting hit.

Panting for air, the Nephilim queen heaved herself up onto the branch before carefully getting to her feet. "I was meant for the skies, not climbing the ground..." She muttered. rubbing her hands on her pants.

Landing with ease, Tori smiled beside her Queen. "You okay?"

"I'm fine now that I'm in the tree." She managed a tired smile. "I'm not a great climber."

"Not to worry. I'll be working on trying to crack some of the coding if that's alright with you."

"Please do, I'm glad that you enjoy your work SageSparrow."

"Of course." and with that, Tori walked back to the hideout.

A half an hour later SwanQueen was at Gotham PD patiently waiting for Barbra's attention. Privately the brunette was annoyed at herself for doing this at all. However, if this person could help her decode those notes, then it was worth the risk. Her feet were not as healed as she would have liked, but this was an issue that couldn't be put off any longer.

When Barbra was finally free, she turned her attention to Arianna and greeted her. "Good afternoon, Moira is already here waiting." she said and motioned for the queen to walk in front of her, a courtesy that few people ever did, but was appreciated by most.

The Queen nodded and walked three steps in front of Barbra. "Has she said anything?"

"She's said many things, none regarding what your matter is." said Barbra, speaking about the subject without saying what it was. She trusted her precinct, but their conversation wasn't for their ears, not yet anyway.  
"I see." The Queen's voice was calm, but Barbra could hear the tension underneath.

Inside the room, Moira sat calm and collected as the Queen entered. The only thing she did that allowed Arianna to know Moira knew her was the charming grin that escaped her cherry red lips. "Hello Your Highness." she said. She knew the ropes, how to get on her good side and knew not to push buttons. Keeping the Beast calm meant addressing her by her mother's given title. "Commissioner."

Barbra took a seat beside at the end of the small table, showing she was being neutral about the situation, for now. "Hello Moira." responded the aging woman, holding herself with authority and a firm tone, letting both of them know they were on her turf and although they had their rights and agreements, what she said went.

There was no sign of anything other than iron control in her bearings as she stepped up to the table and shifted her wings slightly. "Good afternoon." SwanQueen said politely, though she made no move to sit. "I was told you knew our Creator."

"Officer Bankard!" Barb called and within seconds he came in. "I need a stool please." The officer looked at her with questioning eyes and when she indicated to the chair that Arianna couldn't sit in realization dawned on him. "I apologize, Swan, I should have had the stool in here earlier." about a minute later the stool was in and the chair was out.

Moira waited until the door was closed before giving the Queen her full attention. "Yes, I worked by her side. Was her competitor at one point early on."

Although she nodded slightly to the Commissioner in thanks, the Nephilim Queen's full attention was on Moira. "What turned you from foe to ally?" She asked, cocking her head in curiosity.

"You. Or rather the idea of making you the first Winged Person, short of Angel. When the Slim Bag found out what your mother was doing, he tried to get in on it but his mind was on the wrong reasons and your mom saw through that." she said, referring to Able Cuvier. "He quickly became an enemy of hers and because I had ideas that could greatly help enhance what she was going to do for you, as well as her knowledge of my loathing for the bastard, she asked be to be her partner for no other reason than to see a new race grow and be commanded by us. If, however, by some chance anything happened to her, the deal was that we would forfeit the right to control you and yours to you and you alone. I wasn't okay with it in the beginning but as we started to raise you with your new wings, I saw that if trying to control you and learn everything about you was this hard with everyone, then it would truly take two people. What happened to your mom was terrible and I'm sorry she's gone, we came to be good friends after. But I can tell you right now, her killer isn't dead. I know who he is, I've been tracking and keeping tabs on him since the first day he walked into your mom's life."

Although the Queen's mismatched eyes had never left Moria's, there was the sense that the Nephilim Queen had turned her attention inwards as she considered this. "I do not remember you, and I never knew that the two of you were working as a team." Her knuckles turned white as SwanQueen gripped the table, her talons tapping restlessly. "Who is he?"

"The one you call 'Boss'."

The sound that emerged was one of pure instinctive hatred and rage. It could not have possibly been human. She was so enraged that the Queen didn't even flinch when three talons broke with the force of her grip on the table. "Why!" The single strangled word sounded like a whip crack as she struggled for command of the human tongue.

Long ago, when Arianna was first getting to know the ropes of being a Nephilim, she had been witness to this rage. The only thing that indicated she hadn't expected her talons to break was a small twitch of her right eye. "The Boss, more commonly used to be known as Mitchell Marks, was an admirer of your mother's. He was smitten with her, borderline obsessed. She told him no time and time again, followed her home once and tried to force himself on her. You maybe wouldn't have remembered- you had only had your wings for a week- but you're the one that gave him his scar on his chest. You attacked him and in a fit of chock, your mother called the cops and had him arrested. She thought that was the end of him but he snapped, had her killed and wanted you for a daughter of his own to control. Especially since you are the way you are. He sent one of his men after me, if he hadn't been your insider at the time," she said, looking at Barbra, "I'd be dead too. He helped me escape and told me where to hide. He was found out last week and killed. He called me to tell me they were getting suspicious of him and if I didn't hear from him at our next scheduled call time, it was because he was dead. I waited a full day, thinking he probably got caught up in some things but I had to come to terms with the fact he was killed. That's when I came here. There are many things about the Boss that I know that will help pin him for at least 150 years in jail without parole. Otherwise I know for a fact the chair awaits his arrival. All that's needed now is enough people to get close enough to him to bring him down."

Flinging herself off the stool, the Nephilim Queen paced the length of room, snarling under her breath. Trembling with the effort to control her white hot rage. "I'll skin him alive with my own talons!" She hissed as she shook out her smarting hands. "Twice!"

"SwanQueen," Barbra said gently, knowing that when she was like this, there was almost no reaching her. "you need to take a breath and sit back down. There's more to discuss. More has happened from what Moira had told me earlier. Much more."

The Queen awkwardly turned on her heel and pinned Moira with eyes that were filled with the borderline Rage, but she did not to resume her seat. "Talk." She ordered, the word sounding like a primal growl.

"He's got a cocaine trading business with Russia. They transfer teddy bears and within the bears are the pouches of drugs. He's also been involved with underground slave trading. There was a girl in there that served him and his men. Her name was Penelope Blaire. Beautiful young woman," she reached into her pocket and took out the 'missing persons' photo and laid it on the table for them to see. "Her family and her had just immigrated from Spain when the trading company got a hold of her. They did all sorts of unimaginable things to her." she said, tearing up but shook it off and cleared her throat, continuing. "The Boss pretended to give her freedom after a year of servitude and had her run. He set his dogs after her and like an animal, they tore her apart. My informant had to burn her remains. That's not all either." she said and took a breath. "Around the same time you were found as human newborn, he had a son. The wife died in an accident and he was too torn to care for the boy resulting in him ending up going in foster care. You know him as Nelson Nash. His real name is Nelson Marks. He doesn't know about his father or anything he's done. I've already looked into him." This 'adult' Nephilim was so different from the just born, timid one she had last seen a few short months ago.

It was as though the ground went out from underneath her at the same time the air seemed to vanish from the room, SwanQueen felt herself crash on the floor turning just in time to land on her stomach instead of on her wings, but was in too much shock to feel the impact. "Those... animals are _related_!" She half gasped, half snarled.

Standing to help her up, Moira walked over to her and knelt down, not touching her in case she lashed out. "Nash isn't the nicest guy, but he's not like his father and as long as he stays oblivious to what his real father is, there'll be no chance of him falling into the same category."

While Moira was speaking with Arianna, Barbra had gotten up and went to the door to order the officer outside the door to put a watch over Nelson Nash's house to prevent anyone going in uninvited. "More importantly, if I can't calm her down, his life will be in danger. If you see her, don't shoot, but do what you can to make sure she doesn't lay a hand on him." when the officer nodded, she closed the door once again, allowing the man to get to work.

Grinding her teeth, the Nephilim Queen scraped her remaining talons across the floor, sharpening the already sharp points with a sharp screech. Getting to her feet again her face was cold with fury. "Trust me when I say that the apple hasn't fallen that far from the tree." Her tone was grim. "He tried to pick me up when I was passing." The disgust sharpened her tone.

"Well, they may be similar in that respect, but the drugs and the slave trading... I don't think he's smart enough to come up with those on his own. We have to make sure his father doesn't get a hold of him. One Mitchell is enough, two of them... won't be pretty. If he's anything like his father, he could be extremely dangerous. We could use that to our advantage."

"Believe me, he is a baby whose just growing his teeth. Lock him up now and rebuild him while there's still a chance." The Queen impatiently pushed her braid out of the way and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"I can't do that without reasonable cause and so far, he hasn't done anything other than join an anti-Nephilim group. That's hardly enough grounds to arrest and detain. No matter the lineage, unless you can find something extreme he's done to get locked up and sent to Arkham, I can't touch him." said Barbra, seeing Arianna's point but under the state's law, can't do anything about him.

The Queen made a sound of disgust before she could suppress it. "Commissioner, he did not _join_ the anti-Nephilim group at the school, he _started_ it! Furthermore, he laid violent hands on me once already while I was doing my rounds before school hours- costing me a few feathers in the process. It was everything I could do to stop my Pairbond from killing him right there in the hallway!"

"It will be added to his file, however, I can't do anything about it now. I would love to put him on his ass, SwanQueen, really I would but I have to follow the rules if I want to convict him before he does something stupid. Next time he gets in your face you _must inform me right away so I can do something about it."  
_

Her mismatched eyes snapped with temper. "I want your word that if he steps out of line and we get the feeling that he is becoming his father's son, that you will step aside and let us do what we must."

"I give you my word _only_ if he does it in your territory. If it's in mine, I'll allow you to help but you must follow my rules." Barbra said just as calmly but her own eyes snapped in temper from not being trusted to handle this situation.  
SwanQueen snarled softly, but did not seem to be paying attention to Barbra anymore as a visible tremor went thorough her body. "One Boss is bad enough. No one deserves to be in a cage." She got out though gritted teeth.

Realizing that this was a personal matter for the Nephilim Queen, Barbra could only hope she would comply with her wishes. Otherwise she feared the Nephilim would no longer be an alliance, but another form of unwanted vigilante.

After several minutes, the tremors stopped and the Queen gingerly reseated herself on her stool once again eyeing Moira, who had a satisfied expression on her face. "Yes?"

"The Nephilim were intended to do what humans could or would not. It's no surprise SwanQueen has an intense need to want to take care of this herself."

"Regardless of urges," said Barbra, scoffing. "Protocol still has to be followed. You remember what it was like to be on the other side of the law. You don't want to be on the other side again because you couldn't control your urges. I'm sorry SwanQueen, but you can either be a part of this investigation and take my offer of only taking Nash upon yourself if he steps foot in your territory. Otherwise, whether you like it or not, this is my turf, we do things my way."

The Queen shrugged, but in her mismatched eyes, you could see the wheels turning as a decision was made. "'You cannot fix what is already broken'." SwanQueen quoted softly with a sigh before giving herself a shake. "Did you have anything else to add Moira?" She changed the subject. "Or is the rest of the information you have private?"

"The rest I have documented for obvious reasons. When I get back to my hideout I'll sent the information over." said Moira, suddenly wanting to be back in the comforts of her home.  
"Is it written down or in a tech form?" The Queen's voice sharpened in intensity, and once again, her hand held the table in a deathgrip.

This answer relaxed the Nephilim Queen, or at least that was how it looked to the humans who were watching her as all the tension flowed out of her body. "Good, I would like to follow you so that I am able to pick it up personally if I may."

"Sure, just please, keep my location secret. The only ones that know are you two and my dead companion."

Swiftly glancing at the clock above Moira's head, SwanQueen nodded slowly. "You don't have any backup copies do you. I would feel safer if I was the only one who had the information."

"Of course I have back up. I understand your feeling safer but if anything happens and your copy gets destroyed, there's no way of knowing anything. You must understand I'm taking every step to ensure every angle and possibility has a plan b or escape route."

"But what if the enemy catches you. If you don't know where the backups are, you can't betray their location." The Queen countered.

"I won't betray the location, I can promise you that."

"Not even if drugged or tortured?" The brunette sounded reluctantly impressed, but it was clear that the new information about the Boss had rattled her.

"It's all been done before." she said curtly but tried to make it lighter than it sounded with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Can you teach those methods?" At this point, Barbra was completely forgotten about.

At this, Moira's eyes flashed with memory and fear. "You don't want to use those."

"There might not be a choice. You thought he was insane before? Well, he's completely mad now, rabid actually."

"At this point no amount of torture will break him, he's a tamer Joker." at the mention of Joker's name, Barbra tensed but said nothing, choosing to sit back and listen to them talk and plan their moves. "Either he'll have to be put in Arkham or be killed."

"I don't want to torture him, I want you to teach me how to withstand any and all tortures that were used against you so that I cannot be broken myself." Her voice was cold with mingled fear and anger.

"I would need to practice some of it on you for you to feel what it's like."

"Agreed. Don't go gentle. I might not be able to take much, but I need to know where my limits are." She nodded.

"I'll do my best," but even as she agreed, she looked hesitant.

Ignoring the reluctant look in Moira's eyes, SwanQueen nodded her approval. "Is there any further business?" Her mouth tightened slightly with the strain of being indoors for so long.

"Not unless the Commissioner has anything." when Barbra shook her head, Moira stood and walked to the door. "When if you'll excuse me, I'm quite tired. I'll take you to my home tomorrow, Lady SwanQueen."

Nodding again, the Queen left the room and strode to the nearest window, squeezing thorough to climb to the roof. Leaning against the ledge, she gulped in deep breaths of much needed air over and over again.

Moira's lips twitched in amusement. "I see that hasn't changed about her."

"Many things don't, they just don't realize that." Barbra replied without a smile, too much on her mind.

"If it helps, not even Alexis could break the girl out of not using a door when a window was handy. She thought it had something to do with the avian DNA." Moira reached for the doorknob. "I'd better go, she's probably on the roof waiting for me." She smiled and shook her head. "When it comes to the important things, she's not big on waiting. Her half completed training can only override so much."

Barbra watched Moira go before sitting there for a few more minutes to think about everything that was said. Sighing, she contemplated seeing a shrink. As soon as the thought crossed her mind she chuckled and shook her head and left the room, leaving nothing but a white rogue feather.


	21. Connections

Author's notes: Thanks again as always to my wonderful writing partner Inu-midoriko for all of her patience Sorry for the long wait, hope that this chapter makes up for it!

* * *

The night air was slightly chilly as Moira walked up the stairs to get to the rooftop to have a quick word with the winged girl. "Milady, as you know I have more notes of your mother's research at my hideout. If you want, I'll give them to you, but as I said before, I will not give up the copies."

Her hands trembled slightly as she took the papers, then put them into the duffel bag she left there. "I will follow you there. I need all the notes if I'm to make any sense of what I already had."

Nodding in agreement, Moira went back down through the precinct, and looked to the roof top to make sure Arianna was following. Getting into her car, she drove at a pace the winged girl could follow from.

High above, the Nephilim Queen followed silently, she took case enough to make certain that she could not be seen as following a specific hover car. All the while her insides were a churning mess of strain, excitement, and fear. SwanQueen spent the time in flight regaining control of herself at much as she could.

It took an hour of steady driving to arrive at a hidden entrance in the outskirts of Gotham. The pass and hour were hidden by the trees from the sky, forcing the queen to make a safe landing at the entrance of the drive. Moira left the door open for her winged guest, letting the girl know that she was welcome in her home, a privilege almost no one received. "Here," she said when the Queen came into her home. "these are the rest of the notes."

The Nephilim Queen's hands were shaking so hard that it took two or three times before the brunette could manage to take the thick file from Moria's hands. She barely made it to the nearest armchair before her legs could no longer hold her weight. Still, even as she fell against the arm of the chair, the Queen retained a death-grip on those notes.

"Would... would you like some tea?" asked Moira, slightly uncomfortable since she hadn't had to be a hostess in years.

She shook her head still looking dazed. "Were you aware of what the Creator did to our digestive systems?" The Queen asked in a slightly shaky voice.

. "Yes. What I am offering is a natural tea herb." she said and boiled the kettle anyways. "Everything you need to know is in those notes. The genetic codes, the ways to get around the digestive system's pickiness, the quickest way to teach someone how to fly. Everything."

SwanQueen was grateful she was already sitting down "It sounds like you had the master copy... if that is so then what kind of notes do I have?" She asked herself as she looked down at the notes in her hand before picking up the duffel bag and unzipping it.

"You have the skeleton. These, are the skin and bones. The finer details that I'm sure will make the notes you have, make a hell of a lot more sense. No more guesswork."

Taking a deep breath, the Queen carefully put the notes in the bag, trying to hide her shaking hands. "Finally off the razor's edge..." She whispered in a choked voice.

She sat next to the Queen and put an arm around her shoulders. "The pressure was on pretty bad wasn't it?"

"The others were coping better that I was. My type is not a fighter, and I was fragile to begin with so... Not to mention they could eat meat." She looked straight ahead. "It wasn't so bad at first. Sure the human food was horrible, but I could keep it down, but the harder and harder I tried to keep the cover the faster I seemed to evolve..."

Moira nodded, understanding best, next to SwanQueen herself and her deceased mother, what she was talking about. "Your type of bird is complex but beautiful. Your mom had a plan for you, it's in the note so please, please, please, please, don't loose them."

"Never. They are all I have left of her. The police were very thorough about getting rid of everything else. Humans were so blind that night, I should have never called them."

"You didn't know what else to do. I don't blame you. It's what anyone would have done."

SwanQueen sighed. "Batman doesn't believe me when I say Arianna died the night the Creator did." She admitted.

"He'll come around." she said and suddenly looked tired as she thought about everything from they day she was created to now. "Everything went so wrong. It was supposed to be a happy ending. We were supposed to be partners. Rich partners that went anywhere, did anything we wanted. She was going to run for Mayor you know. She had plans for it once she got you on your feet." she said with a sad smile as she remembered the good memories. "We may have started off rough, but we came to really like each other. Like family, you know?" she said and a single tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away the best she could and smile apologetically at the Nephilim next to her. "The most I could hope for now is you and your succeeding. Maybe even turning into one before my ending days."

"Every time I have to work with the humans who are not mine, it feels like there is a war going on inside me. The need I was inbred with protect and guide them wars with my disgust and frustration as they force me to play by rules that no longer make any sense to me." SwanQueen looked at Moria curiously. "Were you Paired with the Creator?" She asked.

"Paired?" she asked, knowing that the regular pair the and Nephilim pair was two different definitions.

"A couple, mated." She clarified calmly.

Moira blushed furiously and stumbled over her words at first before she got a grip on herself and took a deep breath. "Yes. We were going to tell you when the rough part was over. Then she was murdered, I couldn't find you and the Boss was trying his damnest to find me. I had no choice but to leave."

The brunette nodded calmly. "I'm sorry I don't remember you. I think you must have made her very happy."

"It's better you don't remember. If you can't remember me, you can't be hurt right?" she said and gave a big smile she hoped was a happy one.

Slowly, she shook her head. "I know it hurts you. I still don't know whether the loss of my human life was supposed to happen or not but..."

"It was supposed to be gradual. There was a plan to make you remember everything in case loosing it was a side effect. It's not supposed to happen. I was the one that was supposed to conduct it but..." she sighed. "I'm so sorry."

After a moment of quiet thought, the Nephilim Queen shook her head. "No, don't be, I think that it's better this way. Most of what I knew when I was a human is useless now that that I have evolved. It's too late to hope for a complete co-existence between our people now I think."

"Not impossible. If there was one thing your mother would have wished before she died, it was that the two races could coexist. You're right, they are human. They're stubborn creatures that need to be guided but they need your trust and you need theirs. We're not totally useless you know." she said and knocked the brunnette playfully with her elbow. "Besides, you're the Queen, you have to do what's right for your people, but you still have to take the human population into consideration if you're one day going to coexist."

"I was planing on giving the Nephilim a separate space to live, we need a separate place even if we are offering the city our protection."

Smiling Moira pointed up. "The sky, SwanQueen. You and yours were meant to live in the sky."

"True, but the hover cars tend to aim for our wings. Not to mention that human technology does not like us at all..." She pointed out returning the smile. "Anything electronic I touch tends to die."

"I'm sure you can find a way to avoid those things. You don't have to have your home in the city sky. It can be just as easily made in the outskirts."

"Which is why once the Narrows- we call it the Viper Pit- is cleaned out, it will belong to us along with the wilderness backing it." SwanQueen answered. "I'm thinking as far ahead as I can."

"That's a good plan. Just be careful." she demanded with a stern gaze.

The brunette nodded solemnly. "I try."

"What are you planning now?" she asked, getting up for tea when the kettle whistled.

"I'm going to go home and go over these notes. If this solves my main problems, I'll be able to concentrate on deciding who will be worthy of becoming one of us."

"You must also try not only to see who will be worthy, but who will be beneficial. You have to have a balance in life, every life, or it won't work. There will come a time when you will need someone who isn't worthy and the only way to use them is to change them into one of you. It's how you handle those people that really defines your success as a ruler."

The Nephilim Queen narrowed her mismatched eyes as her mouth primed in distaste. "I don't think it'll work that way." She said slowly.

"You don't want it to. No one would. Hell, if I could erase all the bad people from this world I would. But I can't. You'll understand someday."

Shaking her head, she frowned. "You misunderstand me Moria. To be truthful, I don't think it can be done, the change from human to Nephilim is too drastic for one unwilling."

"I'm not talking about someone unwilling. I'm talking about someone who's willing, but doesn't deserve the gift because of who they are."

"I would be willing to give them a chance, depending on how much they want it." SwanQueen cocked her head to the side. "I'll be fair, but they'll have to work to earn it."

Moira smiled. "I like to hear that." she said and laid a fond hand on the younger woman's cheek. "Your mom would be so proud."

She smiled back tiredly. "Being a Nephilim means the person you were before is- for all intents and purposes- dead. As long as they adhere to my Rule, I can manage almost anything. Sky above, my Pairbonded used to hate me before he was Reborn!"

"It happens. Not just to Nephilim either." She said with a knowing smirk and poured tea for herself. "Are you sure you don't want any?"

Her stomach growled. "Perhaps I should." The Queen sounded reluctant though.

"Tea is an all natural drink. Well, the decaffeinated ones are." she said and poured some for her in a small cup so she wouldn't have to drink a lot.

"Thank you very much." The brunette took the drink and blew on it. "I'm already missing a good chunk of skin from the back of my neck."

"Why is there missing skin?" she asked, alarm clear in her voice.

"Human food allergy, in this case it was a chocolate bar. "She sighed. "The flesh turned green and tainted, so my fledgling removed it and told me no more human food for any reason."

"What did they do with the rotted flesh?"

"Our Healer was examining it." SwanQueen flinched. "She wasn't happy with me at all, and I thought my Pairbond was going to knock me out!"

"Make sure she burns it. The last thing you need is someone finding your flesh and grabbing DNA."

"I think she did, but I'll be sure to pass along the message." Tentatively, the brunette sipped her tea. "Do you have your own water source? The water tastes clean."

"Filter, actually. Brita, magnified."

The queen made a thoughtful sound. "Interesting..."

As the brunette sipped her tea, Moira pretended to be busy sipping hers, when in fact she was analyzing the young queen. She was surprised, yet pleased with the progression of the race and of SwanQueen as a Nephilim. She reserved herself in front of those she was leery of but as she had seen just now, she was very open and open minded to those she found she could trust. With a small smile, she congratulated herself and her lost love for their success. Alexis' daughter was going to be a brilliant Queen. The only thing she could do was sit back and watch it all unfold.

After the Nephilim Queen had finished her tea, she stood gracefully. "I should be getting back, my pairbond will worry about me. They can't give me a tracer to use."

Nodding in agreement, she asked her to wait a moment. Grabbing a pen and paper she scribbled something down on a piece of paper and stamped it. Folding it and putting it in an envelope, she handed it to the young queen. "This is a note of apology to your Pairbond."

Raising both eyebrows in surprise, SwanQueen took the note. "You are wise, perhaps you can teach the other humans manners they are sorely lacking." Her mismatched eyes danced in humor.

Moira laughed for a moment and said, "They're just ignorant. When you take over the Narrows I'll gladly teach the humans how to interact with you."

"That would be a kindness." The queen agreed as she picked up her bag. "Thank you for the tea, it will be a long night."

Giving a slight bow, Moira showed her the door. "Fly safe."

"Land with Grace... mother and Creatrix." SwanQueen answered before leaving quietly.

As the sun set, two pairs of glowering eyes narrowed on the falling star. Worry and anger, but mostly anger, boiled and churned within him. Snarling, he turned his head away from the sky and started pacing again. He wasn't one to be controlling, but given everything that's happened recently, SwanQueen, his beloved Pairbond, should have known better than to not contact him to at least let him know she was alright and not in the Boss' clutches again.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. "KnightHawk, she's fine. Things probably ran longer at the precinct than she thought."

"She's been gone all day! She could have sent a letter or a messenger or something." his shoulders trembled. "SwiftSpy, I don't know what I'll do if I loose her..." his wings slumped but even though his gaze was to the ground she could still see anger.

Cupping his cheek to make him look at her, she let him see the worry on her face as well. "We can't do this alone anymore. Between the jobs we're left doing to better our race, we can't always keep an eye on her. We're going to have to have faith that she'll be okay on her own for the time being until we can make a bodyguard for her."

"I know... I just... hard when I love her so much." he muttered, back straightening.

"I know." with a small smile she turned and went back to the computers and Josh.

Not long after, as the sky was turning a dusky purple and the first stars shyly twinkled into sight, the queen glided in for a graceful landing. Her neat braid was windblown and messed up in a way that said she had flown far too high and let the wind seduce her. Behind her smile, her mismatched eyes looked shaken to her core. "I have them."

Only KnightHawk came out to greet her and the look he gave her wasn't one to be reckoned with. "Explain."

"I have the Creator's notes, all of them." Her voice was hushed with awed joy.

"SwiftSpy, take the notes, I need to speak with my Queen." SwiftSpy came out and with a hug that spoke volumes, took the notes from SwanQueen.

For a moment, the Nephilim queen seemed unable to give up the notes, but she finally convinced herself to release them. "Don't open them yet... please?"

"I've got a file just for them. They'll be safe."

Still looking reluctant, SwanQueen nodded, but let SwiftSpy take them.

"Come with me." he said and without waiting for her to agree, started walking in the direction of an enclosed forest.

Submissively the Nephilim queen followed her mate, brushing back her tousled hair into some sense of order and catching her breath.

When they were far enough away from the hideout, KnightHawk abruptly turned to her. He walked towards her, his eyes intent on hers.

Shifting, it looked as though she wanted to take a step backwards, but the Queen stood her ground. "I'm fine pairbond."

When he got close enough for his chest to touch hers and tower over her, he kept walking, forcing her to move back. His hands stayed at his side until her back was against a tree. Still looking into her eyes, he leaned down and captured her lips in a hungry kiss. He ran his hands slowly from her hands to her shoulders and down her back, taking careful measures to not miss a spot. He knew she was okay from her legs down- well, as okay as ones feet could be when raw- so he focused on the upper part of her body. What first started as a hungry kiss, turned gentle and loving. When he was satisfied that she was indeed fine, he brought his hands to hers and intertwined their fingers.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and tried to ease back to lick her slightly swollen lips. "All better?" His mate asked.

With a gentle smile that managed to reach his eyes this time, he embraced her with his arms and shielded her from view with his wings. "No." he purred into her ear but made no other move to show his displeasure with her actions that day. "You say you have the notes... will we be able to make more Nephilim to protect you?"

"If she is to be trusted, yes. However, I haven't gone through them yet. I also have a note for you, but you pounced on me first." She cuddled in his warm embrace. Shifting slightly, his queen reached inside her shirt and pulled out Moria's note for her mate to see. "I followed her home to get the rest of them, I didn't want to take the chance of something happening."

Nodding, KnightHawk took the note and opened it with his arms still wrapped around his queen. Reading it, his muscles visibly relaxed. It was like the apology in this note from the wrong doer was a spell to make the anger and tension go away. "Thank you." he said and with a rare spur of the moment, hoisted her up and twirled with her in his arms. After a few spins he set her on her feet but didn't let go, knowing that she was definitely too dizzy to stand on her own at the moment.

SwanQueen looked dizzy. "What was that about?" She leaned on her mate and kept her wings at her sides.

"I felt... playful." he said as if searching for the correct word to describe his actions.

She sniffed him and smiled. "You wanted my attention."

"Yes." he said. "I've missed just us. These moments we have are few and far between."

His Queen cuddled softly. "I'm sorry love, I never meant to neglect you." She sighed. "Did you want...?" Her throat shut, unable to finish her sentence.

"Do I want what?" he asked, one thing on his mind but the expression on her face meaning she meant another.

"To break the Bond between us so that you'll be free to find someone who gives you the attention you deserve." Her voice was tight with unshed tears. She ignored her own needs that had kindled by his kiss.

His eyes wide, for a moment he didn't know what to say. After a moment, he bent down slightly to her eye level. "I will never take another, love another, hold another the way I hold you. I am yours, and you are mine. I am Bonded with a Queen, it is to be expected you can't pay attention to me when I want it, but the moments like now that I get to steal from other people that need you more, is more rewarding to me than anything else I could ever ask for from you."

Cupping his cheek in one hand, his Queen smiled through her tears and pressed close. "Thank you."

Pulling her tight, KnightHawk kissed her neck and then just held her for a moment.

His queen was content to stay there. "Miss me?"

"You know I did." untangling himself from her he held her hand and started walking back. "Have you eaten? Joshua found a jackpot of berry bushes. The good kind. Also, a few villagers are growing vegetables for you and some of them are already ripening so they brought some over."

"Sounds wonderful." She smiled and kissed him.

With a true smile, he lead her back to their hideout, completely happy, and content.

Later that night, long after her mate was sleeping in content, SwanQueen sighed and made her way to the file that was waiting for her. She doubted anyone else was awake as she took the file and tiptoed outside. She wanted to skim over them to give her children something to work with. She felt kind of guilty for the time she'd carved out with her mate after dinner. Seeing that SageSparrow was still awake, the young queen felt her cheeks go red. "Couldn't sleep?"

SageSparrow turned, equally as surprised to find someone awake at that hour. "Oh! I didn't know you were awake. No I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind I guess."

Relieved that their activities hadn't kept anyone awake, SwanQueen felt her cheeks cool. "I understand."

SageSparrow smirked. "Don't worry, I was already awake when you and KnightHawk started." she said and explained further, "Sparrows tend to have great hearing. I could have heard even if you were in the village."

Her Queen turned cherry red. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I'll make it up to you sisters."

Chuckling, she replied. "SwiftSpy was out cold just before you came back. You needn't worry, its a natural thing to do."

"It's been... difficult. I haven't been giving him the attention he deserves. He's been nice about it but..." She still sounded nervous.

"I'm sure once we're settled in the Narrows everything will get easier. Not to mention we'll have more Nephilim on our side. Speaking of which, are those the notes you managed to gather from Moira?"

"Yes, I was about light a torch so I could skim over them. Oh, remember the sample you took of my neck?"

"Yes. Very peculiar by the way. Its dead flesh, not attached to skin that can heal itself so I won't know how to cure it. I did notice though that when I mixed it with dandelion and a few other green vegetables the rotting faded a few shades. I'm thinking that if it were attached to real skin it would heal in no time."

"She says to burn the sample to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands." The queen lightly fingered the patch on the back of her neck. "Hopefully I'll be able to sort out these notes before he wakes up..."

"I'll help if you want." she said, taking the flesh out of her pouch and lit a torch. Placing the flesh into the fire, she crinkled her nose oft he smell of burning flesh for a moment.

"Please, I'd like to find the food part first. Not thinking with that organ but if I'm pregnant..."

"Then you'll need more food and nutrients. Here, I'll take half and between the two of us we should be able to find something."

Nodding, she sifted though the stack of papers and handed half of them to SageSparrow. "Thank you for understanding."

"The pleasure is all mine, milady."

"His instincts want a child, demand it. It doesn't help that we don't have a formal sign of our Bond." The Queen said narrowing her eyes in the dim light of the fire. "I offered to set him free, that's why he way so... forceful... about having private time tonight."

"Believe me, that's the farthest thing from his mind, SwanQueen." SageSparrow said and pointed to a page. "I found the formula page. I seems like I have 'the making of a Nephilim' half. You must have the 'what to do once you have one' half."

"We'll figure it out later, food is top priority. Meat is useless for your type."

"Nuts and... worms unfortunately."

A soft chuckle came out as the Queen shared her youngest one's discomfort. "I think... wait. Is there an extra torch? I'm getting distracted, but I can't believe my eyes!"

"What?" she said lighting up another torch and passing it to her.

Her body was tense and you could hear the clenching of her jaw as her hand shook. "Earth and Sky..." The Queen swallowed hard. "Our race is made of..."

Leaning over in anticipation, SageSparrow couldn't help the tremble in her breathing for what her queen was about to say.

"Ten different Types, five combative, five noncombative." There was no color in her face. "I never thought her vision spanned this far..."

"Is there a limit to the amount candidates in each type you can have?"

"They don't say, my guess is that it would have been up to me to decide." She sounded shell-shocked.

"Makes sense. Does it say anything about how to care for them?"

"Yes, bits and pieces, but there is nothing in here about pregnancy... which isn't surprising, but it is worrying to me." She frowned. After a minute of reading her eyebrows rose. "That's practical. According to this, those that are designed for combat are the meat eaters, the noncombative ones don't eat meat." She hummed softly. "That's pretty clever."

"It's... practical. It makes sense for the combative ones to eat meat. They'd definitely need it and its nutrients. How are you to judge what they should be? Their personalities?"

"Up until now, it's been a matter of guess. I didn't pay attention that night when I had to escape after her death, but my guess is personality and temperament."

"I see. At least now we'll have a guide."

"Yes, I'm thankful for that." She still sounded dazed and was trying to wrap her head around the scope of her mother's vision.

"SwanQueen?" a dazed voice asked. KnightHawk came out clad in nothing save for his wings wrapped cloak-like around his body to shield himself from SageSparrow's gaze. "Come back to bed with me. Please?" he asked.

"KnightHawk?" Shaking herself out of her daze as she shot to her feet automatically. Giving her youngest her half of the notes, the Nephilim Queen quickly moved to his side, ignoring her own state of undress as she spread her gleaming wings wide. "What is wrong my love? Are you ill?" Her gaze searched his face, concentrating on looking calm even though her heart began to hammer painfully in her chest.

"I feel... strange. I can't explain it but my heart is not beating right." he said and brought her hand to his heart over his chest. He spread his wings out, not caring if SageSparrow saw him undressed. His heartbeats were indeed different. They went thumpthumpthump... th-thumb, instead of a steady thump thump thump. "I don't understand."

Folding her wings, she frowned, but stepped closer to her mate. "I don't understand..."

"I feel it might be because we're always busy, never around each other. Perhaps also the stress of you constantly being in danger. And I know for a fact it hurts because you offered to set me free. No matter what happens, I don't want to be free of you."

His Queen held him gently, pressing herself closer. "Beloved... I didn't want to hurt you, I just wanted you to have everything you deserved that I couldn't give you..."

"Your love is all I could ever ask for." he said and to his surprise, the beating of his heart steadied.

Sighing, the brunette rested her head on his shoulder, tucking her wings in tighter.

"Did you want to stay here longer?" he asked her.

"Hmm?" She asked, feeling comfortable in his arms.

He inhaled her scent and instead of his heart beating faster, it beat even louder. She was almost fertile and his instincts were calling to him.

"Are you tired, or do you want to take a walk?" She asked quietly, wanting to sleep in his arms.

SageSparrow gathered up the notes and made her quiet exit deeper into the forest to leave the two alone. She made a mental note to tell SwiftSpy to give them more time alone together.

"Whatever you want to do I will follow." He replied and kissed her forehead.

Smiling tiredly, she took his hand and led him towards the river. "We need some air before bed."

Nodding, he led her in the opposite direction SageSparrow went.

Terry McGinnis couldn't fathom why the Nephilim Queen would be at the Zoo in the middle of the day, but that's what the latest reporting was. Bruce had called him and pulled him out of class to go see what was up, which he didn't really mind considering his class was science and he was partnered which one of the nerdiest girls in school.

Making his way through the crowd of people that were gathered just outside of the bird confinements. "Break it up people, there's nothing to see here!" he said and glared at them all until they disbanded.

Going in, he spotted her right away. "Hey, you bring quite the crowd."

The Nephilim Queen sighed, bending to pick up the clipboard and bird encyclopedia that she had dropped upon Terry's greeting. "I knew I should have waited until after dark, but my mate put his foot down."

"He was right to. It's much more dangerous at dark." he said and came closer. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Homework." The brunette replied. "Taking stock of what is readily available." She sighed, rubbing her bloodshot eyes.

Frowning, he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You look tired, perhaps you should rest?"

She smiled. "I can manage. Just a Pairing issue."

"Do you mind if I stick around? I know I'm not Nephilim but I doubt KnightHawk would forgive me if I left you alone and something happened. I couldn't forgive myself if that happened."

"Go ahead." The Queen shifted the heavy book in her arms. She sounded unhappy, seeing the humans around them gawking at her, even as she was smiling and politely nodding her head in greeting- letting nothing of her tired feelings show in her expression. "Next time I'm waiting..."

"He's right though, it's a lot more dangerous in the dark."

"Yes, but at night there is a little privacy." She murmured softly, pausing to make a note on her clipboard.

"Anyway, what are you doing in the bird exhibit?"

"Like I said, I'm taking notes on what is available to work with." The brunette did not look up. Today the attention of humans rubbed a sore spot and made the Nephilim queen feel edgy.

"How's the race coming along? I hear you had a visit from an old friend of your mother's."

"We are close now, though food will be a problem for a while yet." She spoke quietly so that only Terry would hear her.

He smiled at her and took a seat by a parrot. "If I were a bird, what one would I be?" he asked, giving her the cheesiest smile he could muster.

She laughed softly. "Hawk or Owl would suit you better." She gazed at the snowy owl. "I still wonder..."

"Really? Why owl? Not many people would see me as one. You know, them being wise and all." he joked.

"Owls are silent, until they strike, no one would know they are there. You are very good at that."

Terry considered and nodded. "That's true. Thank God you're all birds and not snakes. I don't think I could deal with that." he said and laughed, indicating he was joking.

"The sky belongs to us, no human can claim it as theirs." The queen answered. "No competition."

"That was a joke, Swan." he said and sighed. "So, how long are you planning on staying in here?"

"Until I've figured out if this zoo has all the types I need, and if not I'll have some flying to do." The Queen sighed.

"Believe me, you have some flying to do." he said and grinned. "For instance, this zoo doesn't have seagulls or Canadian Geese. I also don't see a Wood Pecker or a Dove. It's also missing a Mocking Bird."

Checking her list she frowned, making notes under her other notes. "Thank you." She flashed another polite smile at a group of children that were watching her. "I'll have to speak to Mr. Wayne before I go any further it seems. Is he well? Ace hasn't hurt him yet has he?"

"He's good. Lonely, but good. I'll let him know to expect a visit from you soon." he said, glancing at the children but not seeing their faces.

The Queen's public gentle expression did not change. "I'll be over in a few hours, I'll be playing to this mob for a while." She replied.

"I can have them leave you alone if you like?" he asked. Thinking back to the girl he knew before and the girl he saw now, they're two completely different people. Terry realized that the girl who was once Arianna had grown stronger and more confident as SwanQueen. No more did he see the weak, timid girl that used to follow him around. In a way, he missed that, but in another way, he was thankful he had help in keeping Gotham streets clean and crime free. Well, crime free for the most part. Pride for his cousin, no matter how many times she wanted to deny it now, swelled in his chest and he couldn't help but smile a little.

Shaking her head slightly, a smile quirked the corner of her mouth. "Part of the job." Dismissing him, the brunette made her way over to the crowd, her slow steps were measured and calm.

The sun was just starting to set when Ace's now familiar barking echoed down the hallway followed by a heavy thud. Once again the Nephilim queen found herself pinned to the floor, alternately laughing and scolding the great Dane mix. "Sir! I could use a little help please!" SwanQueen called in desperation.

Coming forth from his study, the proudly aging man paused and grinned. "Are you sure?" he asked coming closer. "I think Ace has you right where he wants you."

"I know that but- Ow! I don't want to break a wing." Suddenly Ace paused his kissing and began to sniff at her neck, arms and chest, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

At Ace's reaction, Bruce raised an eyebrow. "What is it boy?" he bent down and patted his head before shooing him off the brunette. He grabbed her hand and with surprising strength from an old man, hoisted her up on her feet.

SwanQueen stumbled for a minute before finding her footing, accidentally revealing the bitemark on her neck and a dark bruise on her shoulder as she straightened out her shirt. "Thank you."

He looked pointedly at her, knowing where the marks came from. "It appears Ace is either jealous or harboring protective feelings towards you. Perhaps both. Either way you have some making up to do." he said and looked to the glaring dog.

Sighing, she petted Ace. "KnightHawk's evolving too. He can't help it."

Giving her a frown, he made it clear on just how he felt about her having sex, Paired or not. "In future, do not tell me of your... exploits of that nature." he said and turned on his heel. "This way." he said, in his own way asking her to follow him.

Giving the dog a final pat, she followed Bruce almost silently. Her mismatched eyes dancing in good humor.

Grumbling to himself about children growing up too fast, he opened the door to the lab she had borrowed before and showed her the new technology but motioned for her to stay outside the room. "I know you don't react well to computers and the like. However, if Max feels the need to use this place, the right is hers."

SwanQueen nodded. "Thank you, this will come in handy." She tucked her wings tighter against her body. "Her name is SwiftSpy now sir." The brunette frowned quietly. "How far do your connections go, both in and out of the city?"

He paused for a moment. "It depends on what the connection is for."

"I need genetic material for the next stage." She replied. "I'd get them myself, but Batman has the bad habit of not minding his own business when me and mine are around." The Nephilim Queen tugged on her thick braid as she spoke.

"Sorry that was my fault today, I tipped him off you were at the Zoo. I didn't know how a large crowd would react and I wanted him there in case anything went wrong. My apologizes if I offended you." he said, walking past her. "As far as genetic material goes, I have a connection for you."

Politely falling in step slightly behind him, she nodded. "As I told Terry, I would have waited until dark, but my mate put his foot down."

"With good reason." he replied, leaving no room for argument.

The Queen fussed with her shirt again. "You sound angry with me."

"Not angry, just concerned." he said, looking back at her with a softer expression. "I've never had a daughter, you're the closest thing I've ever come to having one. I've done a lot of reckless things in my past and I don't want to see any repeated in any form."

Solemnly, the brunette nodded. "I'm doing the best I can Sir. The fact is that my pairbonded is currently the only male Nephilim at this point, and a male's evolution of the Other differs from the female. We are still trying to pinpoint them so we can work around that nature."

"Well then perhaps it's time you worked on a formula to receive more males and other females that can repopulate." Bruce said with a childish air of stubbornness.

"Why do you think I'm asking for genetic material now?" The Queen asked, following him into his study and watching him sit down. "Anyway, the formula isn't the problem at this point." She admitted reluctantly.

"What is?" he asked, opening the drawers beside him and ruffling through them until he found the papers he was looking for.

"Acceptable candidates." Her voice hardened like a steel trap. "I would strongly prefer to avoid the breeding fodder route, but I am prepared to accept that level if I must."

He merely looked at her, and handed her the paper he had found. "Here's your contact."

She took the paper carefully to avoid hurting him with her talons. "Thank you."

There were times when he tried to convince himself he wasn't going soft but as he looked at the winged girl in his study, he couldn't help the softness that warmed his heart. She, along with Terry, would surely be the death of him. "Would you like some tea?" he asked. "It's all natural herbs."

"Tea would be welcome, thank you." She replied, sounding distracted.

"A penny for your thoughts?" he asked as he poured her cup and motioned for her to sit down.

"So much?" She asked, going over to pull her stool over towards the desk and perching on it.

He raised an eyebrow. "A mere penny."

"I'm just thinking about the Other." SwanQueen answered.

"Oh?" he asked, sitting down behind his desk with his own cup of tea. He studied her, resting his chin on his folded hands.

"This is just a guess, but I think it takes more for the Other to take over in the females than the males, and how it is expressed is very different." She mused. "However, regardless of gender. When the Other is in control, we can't be reasoned with."

"I've heard." he said and took a sip of his steaming tea. "Perhaps, when it takes over, have someone make you smell a scent you like. Scents can be very, very powerful to humans, I would also think they'd be powerful to Nephilim."

"Perhaps... but that can also be misused as well. I wouldn't want certain people to get the wrong idea that we can be tamed."

"That's where you're going to have to be a little trusting. Picture this, you get angry and your Other comes out. You're merciless to the person who made you that way and an innocent person tries to stop you. Now you have a dilemma. The only way of getting to the man, is to hurt the innocent in front of you. The inner you, wouldn't do it, but its the Other and it doesn't care. No other Nephilim is around to know what's going on, so you hurt the innocent to get to the man. Now, would it not be safer to assume that if you gave someone on the outside that you did trust, that secret and only that person, that you could bring in justice without having to worry later on if you hurt someone or not?"

She sat in silence, sipping her tea thoughtfully before finally speaking. "I would give it to you, but no one else. The Other recognizes- I think- the humans that are mine and wouldn't harm them. Although to be truthful, I've pretty much trained all the humans under me."

For a moment, Bruce was surprised but after a moment's thought, it made sense. She was more herself in front of him than he had seen her in front of anyone else aside from her own people. "If that is what you wish."

"And you can't give it to anyone else, no matter what Terry bribes you with or what his reason for wanting it is." There was an edge in her quiet voice now, setting the empty cup carefully on the desk.

"You have my word." he said and looked her in the eye. "I promise."

The Nephilim Queen visibly relaxed. "Thank you very much."

He nodded in affirmation. "You're welcome."

Shifting on her stool she adjusted her wings. "The loss of the past life was not meant to be permanent, but it is too late to change it back." She finally said. Although the brunette's voice was calm, it was a measure of her trust in Bruce Wayne that she did not hide her hands as they clenched into tight fists in her lap. Clearly she'd been sitting on this little fact for a while, and was still somewhat disturbed by it.

Bruce gave her a small smile. "Some would say it is better to forget the past and make memories of the here and now, and look forward to the future ahead."

"True. And for the most part I agree with you. However, there will come a day that I won't remember your student, and if he charges in while I'm... angry... I cannot say for certain that he will be unharmed." The queen admitted. "He doesn't seem to grasp that with every day that passes, my human memories of him fade a little more. When we were at the zoo he came up from behind and scared me, and for a moment _I did not remember his name!_"

"Will the current memories you have of him now not help you?"

She shook her head slowly. "We aren't together long enough outside of his work for me to know his scent or imprint him as one of mine."

"What do you suggest?"

"That depends. He can either move his family to my territory or he has to back off completely and only be known as Batman. I wish there was another choice but with everything about to implode..."

"Things will have to go as they come it seems."

She nodded quietly. "Are you having problems on your side knowing that you are our friend?" The Queen was changing the subject again.

"No. I don't usually go into the outside world anymore unless it's to continue with my false pretenses. Not to sound conceited, but I'm Bruce Wayne. I do what I want, when I want."

A smile quirked the corner of her mouth as SwanQueen tried unsuccessfully to force down a grin. "You sound like me."

He grinned back. "It's no wonder we get along so well."

"Do you fight with the Commissioner as much as I do? Please tell me she doesn't have children ready to take her place!"

At the mention of Barbra he chuckled. "She wasn't always like that. In fact, forty some odd years or so ago, you two would have gotten along quite well. But..." his eyes darkened. "things happen and change the best of people into something they never thought they'd see themselves as."

SwanQueen sighed. "I work with her, but to be honest I wouldn't turn my back to her. She's too rigid."

"Don't think too little of her. She's strict now, but not an idiot. But then again, she's changed a lot. When I see her, there's almost no trace of Batgirl in her."

She raised her eyebrows and her mismatched eyes grew wide. "Her?"

Bruce chuckled at her reaction. "Yes. I told you, things happen. Perhaps I'll tell you one day."

The young Queen slid off her stool long enough to move it closer to the desk before resuming her seat- just in case she fell over again. "May I ask you a personal question?"

He nodded, using that as his only affirmation to her question. Inside, he was greatly amused that SwanQueen found it a little unbelievable that Barbra was Batgirl. On the other hand, Barbra now, was so different from the Barbra back then.

"If you were in your prime and I had offered you the Choice, would you have taken it?" The question was quiet- almost shy, she wanted to ask him something, but wanted this answer first.

"Hm... that's a question that will be hard to answer. Aside from Robin and Batgirl, I worked alone as Batman. I liked being the one symbol that crime feared. But then again, I did join the Justice League. I'm not sure. If I knew what I know now, if there were a way to... stop certain things from taking place because there weren't enough of me, then yes, I would. But then the possibility comes into question, what if it was only me, then no one I cared about would get hurt." he stared at the wall for a moment, lost in thought. "However, I couldn't possibly ever hope to be in more places than one. Crime would be low, but it would still be there and I wouldn't- couldn't, always be there to stop it. I think, whether or not I was offered the Choice, I would accept your kind and comply with your rules if it helped Gotham and helped protect the ones I was once close to."

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes in thought. When she opened them again, it was not the Queen looking at him, it was a vulnerable young woman with her big deep heart in her eyes. "May I call you 'father'?" She asked finally, trying not to cry. Her knuckles were white, the only sign that she was scared to death of Bruce's rejection.

The question threw him completely off guard. His mouth was agape for a moment and if Alfred were alive, he'd have made a smart ass bug comment about it. After three beats his look softened and he stood. Rounding his desk without his cane was difficult but he managed it. Encircling his arms around her thin frame, he hugged her. "You may call me whatever you wish." he said softly, happy to have a 'daughter' as different and non-blood related as she was.

Hugging him back, she was trembling as she returned the hug. "Father." The Nephilim Queen whispered, trying out the word again.

"Thank you." in his own way, he was telling her he loved her, as he saw that she loved him. It warmed his heart like nothing had in quite some time.

"Your welcome, but that doesn't mean you can spook my Pair when he comes to get me." She smiled into his shoulder.

He grinned, knowing exactly what she meant. "I'll be... civilized."

With a quiet laugh, she pulled away. "And no going nuts when I'm going to make you a grandfather either."

With that he gave her a stern look. "None of that... grandfather stuff just yet."

"Father, we aren't going to have a choice in the matter- at least not this time." She laughed again. "I think that KnightHawk can sense my cycles."

He gave her a look that stated clearly he didn't like it but he nodded. "Alright. Just be careful."

When KnightHawk arrived her retrieve his Pairbond. SwanQueen was telling Bruce about her adopted son and his wish to be given wings too. "Joshua really wants them, but I'm not so sure about doing it when he is still a child. Yet if I get pregnant, I think he'll wind up jealous of the Nestling. I can't say that he hasn't earned them, but..."

"Pairbond..." KnightHawk said softly.

Bruce glanced at him, gave him a glare and then returned his attention to his adopted daughter. "When you become pregnant, give him the Choice but tell him it's okay to want to wait until he's a little older."

The brunette did not look happy about it, but nodded as she rose from her stool to greet her mate. "Hello beloved, are you all right?"

"I'm fine." he said and narrowed a calculating gaze on Bruce. "Are you?"

His mate was suddenly distracted by a snarling Ace. "Ace no! Down boy!" She shouted, turning to stand in front of her mate protectively.

The canine whined and flattened his ears. He lowered himself to the floor and stared at her with an apology in his eyes.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at the Ace. "Big baby."

At this the dog perked up and looked at his master. He trotted over to him and sat down beside him.

SwanQueen sighed, but did not move. "Jealous of you." She answered the question in her mate's eyes. "Smelled your handiwork on me and went postal."

Her mate grinned. "My apologies, Ace. I'll make sure to be more careful." he said to the dog.

Ace only grumbled back and looked to his Master, trying to read off what Bruce's senses were emitting.

Carefully, she stepped back beside her mate, making sure their wings didn't touch at all. "Is everything all right honey?" SwanQueen asked her mate, curious about why he'd flown all the way here.

He hummed, a signal that he needed to inform her of something but wanted to let her know in private. "SwiftSpy seems to have attained... a friend."

"Oh really? Let me pee first. Yes Ace, you can walk me there, just don't try poking your nose in the bathroom again!" She smiled at Bruce. "Will you excuse us for a few moments?"

Nodding in affirmation, Bruce took a seat in his chair and watched her go. When she was out of sight he turned to KnightHawk. "She's asked me to be nice, so I will for her. But if you hurt her... let's just say this old dog still has a few tricks he can pull off."

Minutes later, the Nephilim queen returned, looking vastly annoyed. Ace looked sad with his ears plastered to his head.

"What did he do now?" asked KnightHawk, amused by the dynamics of their relationship.

"He butted in. It's a little hard to do your business when a big black thing opens the door on you, and stands there watching you with his head in your lap!"

At this her mate burst out laughing aloud. "Oh that's good." he put an arm around his love and motioned for her to go out the window first.

She glared at her mate, then eyed Bruce in appeal. Clearly her mate wouldn't be taking her side this time.

"Ace... bad dog." he scolded and the dog sat down in shame.

"Thank you Bruce, I'm glad to see somebody understands!" As she spoke, she kissed Bruce's cheek as she passed and whispered in his ear. "I'll be back soon father. Sleep well."

He smiled warmly at her. "I will. Fly safe. The both of you."

Opening the window, she climbed out and dove off, soaring in the night air as she turned to hover politely to wait for her mate.

"I'll take care of her." KnightHawk said and without waiting for a reply, soared out the window.

"You remember Laura, Tori's niece?" he asked his pairbond once they were in flight, a small frown playing at his features.

"Of course I do. To be honest, I was thinking of giving her the Choice if she proved stable." SwanQueen admitted, flipping over to fly upside down to look up at her mate.

"Well... SwiftSpy's discovered her... primal side. Her sexual primal side. I've hidden Laura until she calms down but every time the girl goes near her she pounces." He sounded concerned. "I wasn't sure what else to do."

His queen nearly lost her rhythm and dropped slightly, flipping over to regain her composure. "How serious is the attachment? Do you know?"

"Let's just say she had no idea who I was. She lost total control. Josh had to get Laura out before it turned too sexual in front of everyone at the hideout."

"I meant is it love or just hormones. What was Laura's reaction?"

"She was more surprised than anything. Fine with it even until Swift tried to take off clothes. I don't blame her though. The GPD was there for the routine check in. As far as I could tell it was just hormones."

SwanQueen sighed softly. "Not good..." Then she frowned. "Glad I never did that to you when we met."

He smiled at her. "Will love not come for those two?"

Soaring back up, she flipped over to face him again. "Honestly love, I don't know. I won't know until I talk to them." SwanQueen admitted.

"Is that kind of relationship allowed?"

"Yes." the word was raw, and judging from the fire in her eyes the question clearly had touched a raw nerve in her. "We are better than the humans KnightHawk."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" He asked, not apologizing for angering her over a simple question.

"Moria was the Creator's Pair." The tone of her voice said that this was not a subject up for debate or an argument.

"It was a question, SwanQueen."

She took a deep breath and sighed, forcing herself to relax. Flipping over to turn away from her mate and soaring slightly ahead of him. "Sorry honey it's just..."

"I know. I understand." He said, his eyes staring into hers for a moment before looking on ahead. "There are more vegetables for you at the hideout."

"Does it bother you?" She asked as they soared through the night sky.

"No. You were worried about offspring. I didn't know if a lesbian relationship would be ideal at this point in our making."

"Just because a couple is lesbian or gay doesn't mean they can't care for a Nestling."

"I didn't say that." He said, once again looking into her eyes. "I said they can't have one themselves. It's impossible."

"I'm working on that."

"Is it in your mother's notes?"

"No, the biology hasn't changed." The Queen admitted. "This would be a social thing. Two sets of Pair coming together in an agreement, or adopting a Nestling from another Pair."

"Oh. Like the humans."

"Kind of." She shrugged. "I see no difficulty as far as having Nestlings, but _our_ problem will be that there will be a lot of them."

"I know. We'll deal with it as the time comes."

SwanQueen nodded. "We should be close now... Did we get distracted?"

"Only a little bit." He replied. "I'm not sure where Josh took Laura."

"Why don't I go to SwiftSpy, and you get me when you find Laura?" His Pairbond suggested, lightly brushing his ebony wing with her own pearly white one as she glided past.

He smiled gently at her. "Alright." He glided in the other direction, leaving the girl talk up to his Queen.

After a moment to steady herself, the Nephilim Queen dropped from the sky and after landing- sought out her sister.

The woods were quiet, almost too quiet had it not been for the owl perched on top a high branch over looking the hideout and village. SwiftSpy sat in the dimly candle lit hut, loaned to her from a single resident from the village on KnightHawk's request. The single occupant was taken in by his next door neighbor. The brown-skinned girl sighed and wrapped her wings around her body. What was with her? Laura had come into their hideout bearing gifts but she had smelt so... good! The falcon-winged Nephilim found she couldn't control herself. Her primal side emerged. The very thought of Laura sent a shiver of desire down her spine. 'I wonder what SwanQueen would think.' She thought.

Respectfully the Queen tapped on the door. "SwiftSpy... Do you need to talk?" Just like when they were in molt, SwanQueen always asked permission before invading each other's privacy.

For a moment, SwiftSpy thought of not answering but she opened the door for her Queen, desperate to talk to her.

Sweeping into the room, she regarded the falcon-winged Nephilim carefully. Staying close to the door in case SwiftSpy changed her mind. Although she looked calm, inside she was anything but. "Do you want... help?" She asked, wondering if her eldest was in the early stage of her molting.

"I don't know. I don't know what this is or why I'm like this with her now. It started small, just noticing her and the way she looked, smelt, the way her hips sway when she walks." She put her hands in her hair. "This is insane. It gets stronger every time she visits. I can SENSE her presence, SwanQueen. I know she's still close by and I'm driven mad by the need to bed her..." She looked up, frustrated tears in her eyes. "What do I do?"

Her queen smiled in relief as she listened. "It sounds like you want to claim her as your pairbond."

"What?" She looked up suddenly. "Is that allowed? We wouldn't be able to produce children."

"Yes dear heart, it is allowed, though I would strongly advise getting to know her on a personal level first." A hint of sadness flickered through her mismatched eyes.

"I don't even like her..." She said, and pouted.

"You wouldn't be drawn to her otherwise. If it is that distasteful to you than just stay away from her. She is still human, so that might make things easier on you."

"Its not distasteful, believe me, I would like nothing more. But she's a human."

"I was considering offering her the Choice. I just wanted things to stabilize first... among other things."

Surprised, SwiftSpy looked up sharply at that. "Really?" She shifted, the heat in her lower core pooling insistently from having not been satisfied. "How long will that be?"

Finally the Queen took a deep breath. "As soon as I'm certain that the replicated formula will work, and that we will be able to eat properly. We eat a lot more than the humans, burn more calories. I need to be sure that the land can handle that- otherwise we'll be in crisis."

She shifted. "If Laura comes back, I won't be able to hold back." She shuddered in the pleasure she knew would come. "This has gotten too strong. I'll want to claim her."

"I'll tell her to keep away for now." The Queen promised, managing a smile. "I'm sure she'll be more understanding than KnightHawk was."

"KnightHawk? Well, I did try to rip him apart for taking me away from her." She gave her queen a studied look. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked after a moments hesitation.

"My cycle will start soon... and his instincts are too strong for me to control now. Most likely the next time he leads to the nest I'll conceive." She sighed and stepped further into the room.

"But- we're not ready for Nestlings yet!"

"I know that, and there is a bigger problem than that- There is a possibility that I may die in the process SwiftSpy."

"Can't you tell him that?" She asked, panic clear in her voice.

"No, his instincts are too strong now. Take what you are feeling for Laura right now and multiply that tenfold."

SwiftSpy sighed. "Then there's no reasoning." She said. "What can I do?" She asked, her situation seeming a lot less important compared to her maker.

"Only what I can do. Moria is good, but the cold hard fact is that she was at best an observer from afar. There is NOTHING of pregnancy in the Creator's notes, I'm beginning to doubt myself at this point if it's even possible."

The cocoa-skinned Nephilim shook her head. "No don't. You've come this far. There must be a way even old fashioned could help." She stood, a determination set in her gaze. "Come, I must do some research." She said and made to open the door.

"Will you be all right?" She asked, turning to follow SwiftSpy.

"You're in trouble, I have no choice but to be all right for now."

"Human technology is not an option." She reminded her sister. "Physically I'm the weakest of you all. Most likely the rest of you will have no problems in birth."

"I need to research. You, don't touch anything." She said opening the door. SwiftSpy would die if her precious technology crashed.

"I'll go find Laura." The Queen was nervous and stayed outside.

Alarmed, SwiftSpy froze, eyes wide. "Why? She's not needed."

"While you are handling my problem, I'll go handle yours." She smiled.

"Thank you." She said with a grateful smile and soared up the hill to her computer.

The Queen sighed and began to wander in the area, knowing her Pairbond would find her soon enough.

Since Joshua was a small child, he wasn't able to take Laura very far away. He took her to the other side of the village and hid her under a bush. He lay on his stomach with her, ready to do his best to hold back his Aunt should the time come.

Seeing her adopted son, SwanQueen managed a smile. "Hi honey."

"Mom!" He cried, relieved and came out of the bush. He hugged her firmly, being careful not to hurt his frail mother. "Is Swifty okay?"

"Your aunt is in a funky mood right now, but she'll be fine. Are the two of you all right?"

Laura crawled out and brushed herself off. "We're fine, just a little startled."

She frowned slightly at Laura, but nodded. "Joshua sweetheart, your father was looking for you. Will you please find him and let him know you are okay?"

"Okay! Goodbye Laura!" The boy said happily and scurried off, wanting to tell his father all about his clever hiding place and how brave he was.

She watched her child scamper off but her expression was serious when she turned back to Laura. "How are you really?"

"Startled. Well, not really, I've seen her look at me in the village, the intensity in her gaze stronger each time so I knew that it was only a matter of time before she did something about it but I hadn't expected there to be an audience."

"We need to talk privately, do you have time?" The queen asked politely, but the look in her eyes made this a command.

"Of course." She said and waited for the Queen to either speak or take her to a more private setting.

After a moment of thought, the Queen walked out of the dimly lit village boundaries and led Laura in the moonlight towards the river.

As Laura followed she couldn't help but make little observations of her own about the winged creatures that were kind enough to let her help the villagers. One observation that she picked up quickly on was that they were more at peace, more natural in the wilderness. Out here, there were no limits.

Reaching the riverside, the Nephilim Queen seated herself on the flat boulder as she brushed her hair back, suddenly nervous and at a loss for words. "How are things?"

"Good. I've been keeping busy between here and school. How about you?"

"I'm surviving more or less. mostly trying to get things stable."

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"How do you feel about SwiftSpy?"

At this, she froze. "I find her alluring, attractive even. I don't know much about her other than she wants me. I think. That and she doesn't like me."

The Queen stood and paced again in a restless circle. "She likes you more than she wants to admit."

"Well she certainly doesn't like showing it." Laura said and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Of course not, we are all raw, and I've had more than one brush with death. That makes her more than a little hostile towards humans."

"And yet I am an exception? The only reason I have not pursued her myself is because one, she doesn't like me, and two, I don't know the customs of the Nephilim. I don't know if I would offend you or her or- argh! This is so frustrating!" She said and sat in front of the Queen in frustration.

Flipping her wings closed she sighed. "Would you give up everything?" She looked serious. "Your family and friends? Your life at school?"

Laura snorted, "I have no friends. The ones you could call friends are the Pro-Nephilim group I've helped create at the school. As for family, SageSparrow is more family to me than my parents ever have been." She said and looked at the river. "School, of course, would be easy to give up. No one likes it. If I had a chance to do something great and worthwhile with my life then I'd give it up right now."

"Even if you quit school, you'll still have to learn. I had to learn to hunt and cook over a fire." She pointed out.

"I know things are different and I'd have to adapt to your world. I'm not expecting this to be easy."

Taking a deep breath, the Nephilim Queen looked as though she had a headache. "Can you follow orders to the letter? Accept my Rule above any human law?"

She clued in within seconds and smiled. "Yes. Yes I would." She said but dimmed her excitement so she wouldn't appear too eager.

"Are you absolutely sure that you would be able to walk away from everything you knew without looking back?" SwanQueen asked in a gentle voice.

"Yes." Laura replied, absolute certainty in her voice

The Nephilim Queen sighed and looked up at Laura. "Before I offer you the Choice, I have one thing more to show you." Without warning, the brunette dropped the mask she wore around the humans to show Laura the Other that was never far from the surface. "This is who we really are in the purest form." Her voice was husky while her mismatched eyes reflected the dim light, making them appear to glow in the darkness. "If we didn't have a human mask, the humans would be falling over dead in their terror."

Laura reached out with her hand, awe and fascination filled her gaze. She hesitated for a moment before touching SwanQueen's face gently with her fingertips and then her palm. "It's not all that scary." She said and smiled. "I want this to help better Gotham, myself and the Nephilim. This doesn't change anything."

Closing her eyes, the queen calmed herself, resuming the mask. "You have accepted, that is good. I will ask you again at a later date in front of the others. You will need to wait until things are settled before you are reborn. Please use this time to put your affairs in order, for now, be very careful when you come to visit."

She nodded, wanting to hug the queen but held back, not knowing if it would be appropriate. "Thank you very much."

Gracefully as her feet would allow, she smiled at Laura and held out her hand as she stood. Gripping the other woman's forearm in a friendly grasp. "Think about whether or not you would like SwiftSpy as your Pairbond as well, Nephilim pair for life and once done, the Pairing cannot be undone."

"I wouldn't mind it if she pursued me. I don't want to overstep my boundaries." She confessed with a nervous scratch at the back of her neck.

"You might have to make the opening move, but not until you are reborn." The queen laughed softly. "You could use this time to get ready."

"How? I don't know the first thing about courtship."

"Do you know how to hunt or garden?"

"I know how to fight so I'm sure I can learn how to hunt."

Tapping her thigh with her right hand, the Queen stared into space at some point above Laura's head. "We could always use more furs and pelts. Books would be helpful as well..."

"What kinds of books?" She asked, head tilting.

"Herbs and home medicine, camping and outdoor guides. Eventually I hope to have our own solar powered area, as well as our own sheep, goats, cows, bees and the like. I miss being able to sew. SwiftSpy is our technology expert, but I'm not certain how long that would last."

"Well I'll do my best to get what you need."

"I'm sure my pairbond will teach you how to hunt now so that you will have a gift ready for your courtship, but you will have to bargain with him for it." She smiled. "Credits are of no use to us I'm afraid."

"I'm sure I can find something to trade him."

"Feel better now?"

"Yeah, thanks. And you're sure she likes me?"

"Considering her reaction today yes, but until you start your courtship she won't know you are willing."

"Alright. What do you need me to do now?" Asked Laura.

"Get whatever books you can while you can, and start putting your affairs in order. If you do come for a visit, make sure that you stay in the human part and _don't_ wear revealing clothing. SwiftSpy is on edge as is." The Queen smiled. "The more you do while you are still a human, the stronger it will seem that you are willing to be her Pairbond and leave your human ways behind."

"I'll do my best." She said, wanting to ask when she would receive the wings but held back. She figured that when the time was right she would be offered again.

A black shadow passed over them, and the Queen tensed up before she sighed. "You may head home if you wish young one."

"Thank you, my lady." Laura bowed, seemingly oblivious to the queen's reaction and jogged out of the forest.


	22. One step forward, two steps back

Author's notes: Thanks again as always to my wonderful writing partner Inu-midoriko for all of her patience Sorry for the long wait, hope that this chapter makes up for it!

* * *

Excitedly typing into the computer on the farthest corner of the cave, the falcon-winged Nephilim looked back at both SageSparrow and Courtney as they double, triple checked the code they just claimed to have made sense of. Three days since she attacked Laura had passed but it didn't seem to make any difference to the tanned teen. She, along with SwanQueen, and the other two women were holed up in the cave, using everything they knew to crack the code. "One more piece left..." She said and glanced over at SwanQueen, who was too busy pouring of the notes, looking for the last piece of the puzzle, to notice SwiftSpy's impatient glances.

"I've got a contact to get the genetic material of the bird types we'll need." She said tensely, her mismatched eyes racing back and forth over the stack of notes.

"That's what's missing!" Cried Courtney and realization dawned on Tori. "We need those in order to complete the formula."

"I know, I've been working on that- why do you think I needed the notes in the first place? Each formula is going to be different depending on the type of bird used. What we have now is the base on which everything builds off of." The Queen did not look up as she turned the page.

"No I mean we need the samples or else we're doing this for nothing." Replied the blonde woman.

"And my blood will be useless for a sample." She murmured, rising to her feet.

"Right. We need the birds DNA. We have enough material to make hundreds but without the DNA bits its' useless."

Rubbing her head as though it hurt, she sighed. "What time is it?"

"Just after four am." Replied SwiftSpy.

"I'm heading out." She replied, giving the notes to SageSparrow and walking outside.

"Where?" Asked SwiftSpy, still looking intently at the screen.

The Nephilim Queen stopped just before the entrance of the cave, her body and voice taunt with the tension of her own thoughts combined with their discoveries. "To see what I will be dealing with, if there is anything worth seeing."

Not fully understanding what it meant but understanding that she wanted to be alone, at least for now, SwiftSpy didn't push it further. Instead, she nodded and told her to be safe and went back to her computer after telling Courtney and SageSparrow to take a break until their Queen returned.

Walking out of the cave with a shudder of relief, she moved as quickly as she could to her favorite tree, desperate to soar in the sky. "I can't believe this..." SwanQueen muttered to herself as she walked.

"What is it?" KnightHawk asked, seeming to have come out of nowhere. He had, in fact been walking up to the cave when he saw her walking out of their home to the tree and wanted to see her off before she left.

"The situation with the formula is not going well, there's an added issue." His mate replied, briefing him on everything that had happened in the cave. This did nothing to ease her mood.

"Do you need help collecting?" He asked.

"I was going to scout out the contact Mr. Wayne had given me, if possible I'd like to avoid breaking into the zoo if I can. You are welcome to keep me company if you wish." His Queen replied politely.

He smiled at her and followed. "I would drop everything to follow you." He said and watched her climb the tree to take off.

Her mood lightened somewhat as she carefully climbed to her preferred height and pumped her wings for takeoff. Once in the still-dark sky, she hovered until her mate joined her. "It'll be boring." His mate felt compelled to warn him. "I want to get a feel for this contact."

"I'm coming." He said with an air of finality and took off after a strong flap of his wings propelling him off the ground. "Besides, someone's gotta make sure you stay out of trouble." He said and playfully rubbed her head.

"I don't look for it, it finds me!" His pairbond protested as she oriented herself, frowning at the directions her adopted father had given her.

He grinned because he knew it was true... well, half true, and held out a hand for the directions. "Can I see?"

She handed them over, frowning at the area around them. "Is it just me, or has it been too quiet lately?"

"It's been quiet. I'm on top of that. I've got the GPD on our side looking into it from their positions in the station."

The Queen nodded. "We'll have to be extra careful in the woods then, and I've been thinking about scattering the village." She admitted as she waited for her pairbond to finish.

"This way." He said and turned around after reading the directions. "Scatter? Where? Wouldn't it be safer to keep track of them in one place?"

"It's been too quiet, the Boss has already shown us he doesn't care who he hurts as long as he gets what he wants. I'm worried that keeping them all in one place is too tempting a target." SwanQueen admitted, voicing a fear that had been chewing at her nerves since her capture. "He... isn't sane."

"He doesn't know where we are. The undercover cops on our side are staked out well away from the village to scout for any of the Boss' men. Even if he were to find these woods, we could make a good head start in leaving before they found the village."

She flipped upside down to look up at him, not bothering to hide her shiver. "He scares me right down to my bones."

"Which is why we're taking every precaution to ensure you never see him ever. And if you do, it's not because he has you within his clutches."

"I want him KnightHawk, I want to watch him as he's slowly shredded into strips." She avoided any mention of the nightmares she was still having on the nights she refused to sleep inside next to the others.

KnightHawk grimaced, _knowing_ that she was still suffering from the experience but not knowing how to comfort her. "What can I do?" He asked, taking her hand after looking at her once more. "Its unbearable," he put her hand against his cheek and he turned his hand towards it. "seeing you suffer like this and not knowing how to fix it."

She looked up at him sadly, then told the truth. "I don't know. I really don't pairbond. I only know that I have to see it through till the very end." She looked away, watching their wings beat in unison. "He killed her KnightHawk."

"I know my love. We'll get him. I promise."

"We can't let him live, that's what the humans don't understand, we can't live in peace knowing he's alive. The Nestlings will be too vulnerable."

"Then we'll have to keep it a secret from them."

She looked surprised that he would agree so fast as she let go of his hand and righted herself so that she was hovering in front of him. "KnightHawk?"

"He took my Pairbond, my other half. In human terms, my woman and wife. It will never be forgiven or reconciled. I want him dead."

"I wasn't raped... I don't think that had occurred to him... yet." She was trying to lessen the blow, not liking the hardness in his eyes.

"I don't care. With the risk of sounding possessive, he stole what's mine and had no intention of giving back."

Swallowing the rest of what she'd been about to say, she changed the subject and let him lead their flight. "You've changed."

"Have I?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer. "How so?"

"When we first met, you hated me and wanted nothing to do with me. You even let Nelson Nash flirt with me."

"That was then." He said, getting aggressive at the thought of someone wanting his woman. "I'd kill him if he approached you with impure intentions now."

"What changed? Besides the fact that I got careless about my wings."

"What do you mean what's changed? I'm still the same mean Chaos. Only difference is I have wings, a new name and I'm so in love with you it hurts."

"When did you fall for me? I mean we went on one date, the first time you took me out to dinner doesn't count."

"After you turned me, I saw you. I mean, _really_ saw you. What you stood for, what you were like, how you interacted with people. I fell and I fell hard." He admitted. "I can talk so freely to you and you won't ever judge me. We have different views, yes, but still..." He looked at his pairbond with nothing but love. An expression he would only ever let her see. "I couldn't help it."

"You saw the real me, not the part I play when around the humans."

"I know. That's the woman I fell in love with."

Smiling, she hovered close and kissed the tip of his nose before gliding off with a laugh, inviting a chase.

Grinning from ear to ear, he indulged her and flapped his wings hard after her, enjoying the tease she was creating.

As a hawk was stronger in the air than a swan, his mate changed tactics and instead gracefully circled around him, caressing his wings as she passed him yet remaining out of his reach. "You aren't trying." She pretended to pout. Her mismatched eyes danced in good humor- momentarily forgetting what a mate's touch on one's wings could do. "Are you not in the mood for a chase?"

At this he shot with a great speed towards her. Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her close and crushed her lips to his. "I'm always in the mood for you." He said and snarled in play but latched his lips onto her neck and soared towards the tallest flat roof.

She was very surprised at this sudden change of mood and suddenly wondered who exactly she was dealing with right now as the queen automatically shifted herself to make flying easier. "KnightHawk?" SwanQueen asked in question, worried that she'd set him off.

"Yes?" He asked, looking up at her. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, but you've never grabbed me like that in flight before." Feeling his grip tighten like a vice around her waist as he hovered to land, she stopped shifting.

"We're in the air. I don't want to drop you." He said and when safely on the ground, he laid her gently on her back and rubbed against her persuasively.

Catching something in his eyes, SwanQueen didn't protest, and it wasn't until the sun was painting colors in the skies that she made a tentative move to dress. "Good thing nobody saw us."

"I was careful to pick an inconspicuous spot."

"Are you satisfied?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at her smug pairbond.

"Quite." He replied with a matching smirk.

With a sigh, the Nephilim Queen dressed quickly, hissing softly in discomfort before checking her wings carefully. "Why so smug?"

"I didn't say anything." He said as he put on his pants.

"You didn't have to." She replied, slipping on her shirt and tying it with a flinch.

"No reason, just typical male instinct." He replied and waited for her to finish dressing so they could take off and find Bruce's contact. Noticing her discomfort he frowned slightly and reached for her. Pulling her into a warm embrace he softly whispered sweet nothings into her ear and re-adjusted the clothing so as to not irritate her. "I love you." He said and kissed her cheek. "Remember that."

Turning her head, she smiled at him. "I love you too, remember that my love." Pulling out of his embrace, she jumped off the roof and hovered eyeing the sun. "I hope we didn't loose too much time..."

"No, I know exactly where the place is, it won't take us more than fifteen minutes to fly there."

His mate laughed softly and let him lead. "Are you still irritated with me that we have no mark?"

"No, you love me, that's all I care about."

"It didn't feel like it when you jumped me." His pairbond admitted. "It was as though I'd flipped a switch in you and your Other came out again."

"It tried, but I forced it down. The Other craves for a marking, so if I seem forceful I apologize, it wasn't my intention."

SwanQueen sighed. "It's all right, just give me a little warning next time you turn play into something else."

This time he grinned at her. "That was entirely your fault."

"How was it my fault!" She demanded swooping to a halt to face her lover.

He passed by her and grazed her feathers intentionally. "You grazed my feathers and initiated a chase." He replied and then turned around to face her. "You also pretended to pout at the prospect of me not being in the mood."

She yelped at his touch on her feathers and pumped her wings to shoot above him. "I didn't think yours were as sensitive as mine."

"You'd be surprised at where the sensations shoot to." He replied.

She growled softly in her throat, but did not approach her mate again. "Guess the Creator had a sense of humor..." SwanQueen muttered.

He didn't press the conversation any further, since he upset his mate and decided to give her space to think.

By the time they reached the house on the end of Dare St., the sun was rising and creating a nice orange hue to the sky. They landed and KnightHawk folded his wings around himself and waited for his mate to knock on the door.

Taking a deep breath, she made sure she was presentable before knocking, they knew the person they came to see was up, having seen her in the kitchen getting ready for the day.

Opening the door, a woman in her late fifties answered the door. "I knew I would be getting a visit, I just didn't think it'd be at..." She looked at her watch. "Five in the morning." Opening her door wider, she invited them in. "The name's Betty, Betty Walters."

"My apologies for stopping by this early ma'am. Our hours are for the most part all over the place." The Queen answered politely, tucking her wings in tightly as she stepped inside carefully.

"It's alright, you're here now, no sense sending you off." She replied and once the two stepped through the threshold, she closed and locked the door behind them. "Tea? I'm afraid all I have is decaf."

"That would be fine." The Queen agreed politely.

Nodding, the woman set to make tea and motioned for them to follow her into the spacious kitchen. "Take a seat." She instructed and poured water into the kettle and plugged it in before taking a seat herself. "Bruce tells me you need my help."

Seating herself as best she could in the chair, SwanQueen composed her thoughts for a moment. "Mr. Wayne informed me that you were a specialist in avian genetics. Is this true?"

"Indeed. I even have samples. Comes from having been an expert for twenty years."

"Would you be willing to give me a few of them?" The Queen's face was expressionless as she spoke.

"Yes... under one condition." She replied.

Her face grew even more impassive, but her mismatched eyes grew more piercing as her mate shifted slightly behind her. "What would that condition be?"

"You make me one of you."

She had to wait several minutes for the tightness in her throat to ease and the red haze to clear from her eyes before she could say anything. "Why?" The Nephilim Queen was very careful to keep her voice calm, even as KnightHawk gripped her shoulder in silent shared outrage.

"No one will listen to a child, no matter how old you think you are." She gave a mischievous smile. "Besides, you need me. Without my samples, you'll never get the formula right. And," she added for good measure, "if you don't make the deal, you don't get the samples."

"You can't breed." the Nephilim Queen replied calmly. "And you have no idea what you are asking."

"I don't want a savage little child, I want freedom. Now, I don't care the cost, I've already been told it's pricey, for me anyway, but I still want it. I give you what you want, you give me what I want. Its quite simple. I'm even you could figure it out." She said and tossed her red and silver hair back over her shoulder. She wasn't young, but she wasn't dreadfully old either. In the prime age of fifty-five, the woman could drive a hard bargain, however, even she knew her limits as to when to stop pushing. She smiled to herself. It was fine if they left. She would have no wings and they would have no samples. She thoroughly believed she was making a fair trade.

"You won't follow orders, you want the joys without paying the price for it." SwanQueen's voice was hard now, her mismatched eyes held too much knowledge. "I don't care if you don't want children, but you are short-sighted if you believe that I will invite you into my family just because you say so."

"Then leave my property. Without the samples." She hissed.

Gracefully the Queen stood. "Let's go Pairbond. The day is young yet, and I'm not tired at the moment." Accepting his arm, she steadied herself before allowing him to lead her from the room.

"Your other samples won't work." She stated from her seat boldly.

"I came to you out of courtesy to Mr. Wayne. Nothing more." She replied coldly without facing Betty. "He personally told be you were the best, but you were by no means my only option."

"You will find no other skill and resources like mine." She said and stood as well.

Grinding her teeth, SwanQueen did not answer as her mate held open the door for his Queen.

"I'll be seeing you again, I'm sure." She said with a smirk in her voice. Almost as if she knew she was the best and knew that despite her attitude, they would crawl back to her.

The Nephilim Queen remained silent as she walked- not ran- across the yard to climb Betty's tree. "Thoughts?" Anger vibrated her voice.

"She's pompous. And angering. Borderline spoiled brat. Which is why Mr. Wayne probably sent us to her. She's the best, our only resource so far and she'll teach us, especially you, a valuable lesson."

"I'll try my other options first." She launched herself up into the skies after her mate helped her up. "I'll cut off my own wings before I give them to her!"

"You may not have a choice, my love." He said gravely, hating the fact he may be right. "What's the plan for now?" He asked once in the air with her.

"I'm going back to the zoo, we might need to sneak in later on if I don't find anyone with common sense. They don't have all the types we need, but it will give us a starting point. For the others I'll have to look in the surrounding cities." Her wings beat the air in suppressed temper and when she spoke again there was definitely an edge in her voice. "Stay away from her KnightHawk, she kept looking you up and down, that human woman isn't taking you or the family away from me!"

He raised an eyebrow at her tone. "What's really bothering you?" He asked, slowing down so he had her undivided attention.

"When she said 'No one will listen to a child, no matter how old you think you are.' I wanted to smack that smile right off her face." The Nephilim Queen reluctantly admitted as she hovered to a stop in front of her mate. "She likes being in power- but the sad part is she's right. The humans only listen to me because there is no one else. Even if the rest of you don't accept her, the humans will. If I gave her wings, we'd only have to hunt her down later as a rogue. She cannot be permitted to break the laws."

"But we need her. We may have some things from the zoo but you and I both know we need what she's offering. If we could trick her somehow. Make her think she's getting what she wants but its something completely different that won't threaten us at all."

"And give her a reason another to stab us in the back?" SwanQueen shook her head in exhaustion. "No, I'll see if we can't get DNA samples from the zoo... We'll figure something out."

"As long as you know what you're doing."

"All I can do is the best I can sweetheart. Just don't give her any more ideas..." She still sounded angry about Betty's perceived sights on her mate.

He caressed her wings and grinned at her. "You're charming when you're jealous." He said and kissed her.

Three days later, with multiple visits to the zoo for samples, SwanQueen had brought back more DNA samples than she had carried anything else in her life. But she didn't mind because each new sample was one step closer to completing the formula. She needed three birds. Three DNA left and she was done. Unfortunately all three were either super rare or extinct. Which meant she needed to make a visit to a certain foster father of hers for guidance. Finishing washing up, the Nephilim Queen dressed in her black suit, making sure the more obvious marks were covered. Even as she dressed, SwanQueen seriously wondered if her mate would actually allow her to leave without his following. Running her brush through her wet hair, she ground her teeth as she watched a downy feather fall next to her foot. Great, this was all she needed now. Still, KnightHawk- she hoped!- wouldn't notice the feather. She didn't have time to preen today. He'd been too possessive to risk a refusal, and he'd been annoyed with her all week.

"Where do you think you're going?" Asked KnightHawk, his deep voice reverberating through the trees.

She jumped and for a moment all she could do was squeak before she regained her control. "I need to visit Mr. Wayne, it'll only be a few hours pairbond."

He looked pointedly at the feather on the ground. "You're molting..."

"I only just started, they won't impede my flight for half a day yet." The second the words were out of her mouth, she knew they were a mistake and strapped some mental steel to her shaking legs. SwanQueen took a deep breath to make sure her legs remained steady, she smiled into the darkness as she put her brush away. He blended into the darkness too well for her to find him in the dark. "I'll be fine darling SkyHunter."

"I'm sending someone to look for you if you're not back within two hours."

"Four to five." The Queen countered firmly. "He takes a while."

"Three and a half." He finished with a darkness to his tone.

She frowned, not liking his tone. "SkyHunter? What wrong my love?"

He said nothing for a moment. "Nothing my sweet, I just want you safe."

Feeling uneasy, his pairbond opened her wings and refolded them against her sides as she walked towards the nearest tree. "I will be back before dawn." Purposely she did not repeat the time limit for fear that he would shorten it again. SwanQueen reached up to find a handhold in the bark, her back to her mate as she prepared to climb up for takeoff.

"Fly safe." He called after her.

"I always do." She replied, climbing up and taking off into the black velvet sky.

Standing by the window with his cane in one hand, Bruce Wayne stood ramrod straight, waiting for his daughter to arrive.

When she did arrive, the Nephilim queen was in high spirits as she hovered so that he could open the window. Her mismatched danced in delight as she came through. "Good evening Father, have you been well?" As she spoke, she folded her wings and straightened her black top before kissing his cheek in greeting.

His posture cracked and he smiled. He put an affectionate hand on her head and said, "I've been keeping well. And you? I heard you had a rough time with Betty."

"I take it you don't know then?" Her face hardened before she sighed and gave Bruce a hug. "I only have three hours, and I doubt my pairbond will wait that long." Stepping back a pace, she tucked loose strands back behind one ear before stroking her braid. "In any case, I wanted to see you before I became groundbound..."

"What's happened?" He asked with a frown.

The Queen smiled. "I find myself caught between a rock and a cliff and I need some advice father." As she spoke, SwanQueen nervously looked around even as she walked towards the stool she had claimed as hers during her visits while another feather fell gently to the floor.

"Sit comfortably." He instructed to the cushioned chair. "Ace is with Terry." Was all he said to let her know she needn't worry being knocked over by the hound.

With a good natured shrug, Bruce's adopted daughter changed direction and obediently sat in the chair he wanted, curving her wings around her to make it more comfortable. "What did you hear father?"

"Betty called me in a frenzy." He started and sat in his own chair. "Said you and your... handsome body guard were less than friendly and didn't accept her help when she offered it so kindly." He said and grinned.

Her mouth tightened in fury. "I suspected she'd say something like that, but you don't sound like you are on her side." SwanQueen managed a smile back.

"I know she can be tough and quite the actress when she wants her way. Let me guess, she wanted the Gift?"

"Yes, in exchange for her samples."

"Hmm." He hummed. "What did you say to her?"

"I said that it didn't work like that..." Her hand tightened into a fist. "She said she didn't care, either she got wings or we would get no samples." Her knuckles were white in her lap. "I'm not going to let to Gift be treated like a toy for the rich and spoiled! I won't!"

"Good girl. Set your standards high and don't lower them for anyone." He replied approvingly.

"But..." Now she sagged forward. "What am I going to do? The Gotham city zoo is missing the remaining three samples I need, and you said Betty was the best. Yet what good would that do me if I bowed to her demands? If it happens once, it can happen again..." SwanQueen sighed. "I'm afraid of giving into her father. I don't like her, and my instincts are telling me that Betty is bad news for my people."

"Batman was never perfect either," he said referring to himself. "Sometimes he had to bend the rules a little to get what he needed done. I'm not saying give in, but I'm not saying give up either."

"That's just it Father, I have no problem giving the gift to someone out of gratitude, but not someone who uses it as blackmail! It's not really her age that bothers me- much- it's her attitude. Betty doesn't care about the rules I have in place or why. She wants them the way a rich person wants a mansion. My gut says that if I give her wings, she'll try to take my place because 'No one will listen to a child, no matter how old you think you are'. That's a direct quote by the way, and she smiled as she said it." SwanQueen sighed and shook her head slowly. "I know the family- my flock- is loyal to me and won't let that happen, but the humans?" Her mismatched eyes dimmed. "I know I'm young, and that I look younger than my age. The only reason I'm listened to at all is because there are no 'adults' as they see it. What would happen if Betty made a bid for my rightful place?"

"You would have to rely on their flock's loyalty. As you've implied before, the humans have no say in what goes on in your affairs. If your people are as loyal as you say, you will have no problem staying in their right mind. What you can do, if offer Betty a proposition of importance, or what she would think of as important. Like perhaps an advisor or head of human matters."

"My fear is that although I rule the Nephilim, Betty would act like _she_ was the Queen if I gave her any power or contact with the humans..." Out of nervous habit, she was stroking her braid in one hand and biting the nails of the other. "And she's too smart to be fooled with an empty title..."

"Take her down a few notches. Give her a bird that can't do much, while you have her doing other things for you. Like a personal secretary to arrange meetings and the like."

She frowned. "That could be useful... Yet what if she refuses? Do you have any other contacts?"

"Depends. What are the three birds missing?"

"Canadian Goose, Dove- Barbary, Mourning, and Turtle respectively, and Shrike- Great Grey, Loggerhead types." She smiled. "The Creator wanted as much DNA variation as possible."

"I see. Unless you travel to the home of those respective birds, I see no other option."

The Queen took a deep breath to avoid swearing in Bruce's presence. "I see." Closing her eyes, she sighed. "Thank you."

"I know its not the most pleasant option. But often you'll find that the most unpleasant decisions you make, could later on turn out to be useful."

"I'm not crawling or begging her." There was bite in her voice.

"Of course not, that would be undignified."

"If anything, she should apologize to ME for being a spoiled brat."

"She won't, but I understand your anger."

For the first time since arriving, his daughter relaxed. "Thank you father."

"You're welcome." He said with a smile of his own.

"KnightHawk laughed at me when I told him to stay away from her..." She admitted

"To stay away from her?" He asked with a raised brow.

"She kept looking at him in a way that got my back up."

"Ah... yes, she's always been... flirtatious with strapping young fellows." He said.

"She never said anything, but I wanted to scratch her eyes out."

"I don't believe she would have actually done anything but watch her just in case she tries anything."

The Nephilim Queen sighed slightly. "Father, do you remember when I told you that you'd be a grandfather soon?"

"Yes..." He said wearily, approaching his answer and hers with caution.

"Just so you know..." She squirmed in her chair. "I won't be available for the next week or two- starting after I leave here tonight."

For a moment he did nothing and then he shuddered. "I don't want details."

"I won't give them. I just wanted you to know that you'll be one in nine months... I think it'll be nine months..."

"Well in any case there will be a place for the children to visit when you're busy."

"Thank you, I'll visit as often as I can, but I'm not sure how long I'll be able to fly."

"I understand. Given my health permits, I'll do my best to come visit."

"Thank you for understanding Father."

After a moment's silence, Bruce stood and made for the door. "Come, I have a few things to give you."

Rising from the chair, the young Queen followed her adopted father, staying close to help him if Bruce needed it while remaining careful of the falling feathers. "I'll clean those up before I leave, sorry about the mess Father."

"No need, Ace will like to play with them with your scent on them and all." He replied and opened the door to one of his guest rooms. "On the bed." He said and as promised, there was a bundle of things on the bed. To start, an old fashioned sewing machine so she wouldn't accidentally break a high tech one, seeds of all sorts and a herding staff.

Forgetting herself in her excitement, the brunette squealed in glee as though she was a young child, as she half hobbled half ran past him to examine the sewing machine. After discovering that it could be run using a foot peddle, the Queen did an awkward dance step. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I've been afraid to use the school's machines of a daily basis unless it was absolutely necessary..."

"I heard that's where you go when you head to the school. This used to be my butler, Alfred's. I'm sure he'd be happy to give it to you."

"Thank you, I haven't been comfortable at the school lately. This will help a lot..."

With a small smile Bruce turned away from the room. "That's not all." And he started for the back door leading into the big backyard.

Mystified, she followed him. "Father what...?"

When he opened the door and allowed her to step out, she was bombarded by the sight of two cows, six sheep, three horses and a small chicken coop filled with three chickens and a rooster on top to start. "It's not much now but I figure within a few years you'll have yourself a nice herd."

SwanQueen's jaw dropped. "How did you...? What do I...!"

Bruce smiled at her. "Not to sound pompous, but I'm Bruce Wayne." He gave her a side glance. "I can get almost anything with a signature."

The young Queen's wits struggled to get organized. "I... thank you so much... this will help a lot..."

"I'm glad you like it." He replied.

She hop-skipped over to the animals, holding out her hand and making soft soothing sounds as she let them take in her scent. "Am I keeping them here or taking them with me?"

"Keep them here for now, until you have the space to keep them and let them breed." He replied.

Petting each animal, SwanQueen couldn't seem to stop smiling at Bruce. "Thank you. If you wouldn't mind, I'll go check out the seeds after I'm done here. KnighHawk won't be here for a while yet."

"Ah yes, he does like to keep an eye on you."

"It's in his nature." His daughter answered. "We pair for life."

"I see." He said and followed her back into the house.

"You don't like him, do you father?" She asked quietly, stopping at the door.

"I don't know him."

"You mean your apprentice actually kept his mouth shut for a change, I think the room just flipped over!" SwanQueen joked.

With a raised eyebrow, Bruce motioned for her to go inside. "Take a seat and explain."

Sucking in a breath, she mentally smacked herself for opening that can of worms. Still, she followed him back to his study. "He didn't like me when we first met. Actually, my mate hated me."

"Really?" He asked and took a seat to rest his aching knees. "What did he do?"

"At school, knocked me over on track field and made my life hell in class as my work partner. What I didn't know was he robbed at night. I caught him and returned the goods, but he figured out who I was and blackmailed me into a date or two."

At this his eye twitched. "What...else did he blackmail you into?"

"Basicly he bullied me into letting him move in after SwiftSpy was reborn and proved himself until he irritated himself enough that he became my Pairbond."

"Do you even love him? How does that play into the fact he's scum?"

"After he was given wings, he changed father. Now I have to pry him off of me with a crowbar when I want to be alone. He's completely devoted to me."

Still seeming unconvinced, he raised a brow.

"Nelson pushed me once after I gave KnightHawk wings, he nearly killed him- this was the same man that he'd once said he could do anything he wanted to do with me."

"Well... that's a start." He said. "Does he make you happy?"

"Yes, when he isn't being a pain in my rear." She smiled. "Still trying to wrap my head around how fast everything happened."

"Are you carrying his child?"

"Not yet, but that will change soon if he has his way." She raised her eyebrow.

"I see." He said, thoroughly disapproving of KnightHawk for the moment. "I have no say in whom you choose to love, but know this; he does anything to harm you, this cane will be shoved up his ass."

The Queen's jaw dropped open. "FATHER!" She was shocked by his language. Her tone was horrified. "There's no call for that!"

"I am the judge of that." he said, not apologizing. In his mind, he was right. He was also, in his mind, telling her that he cared for her well being and would go to great lengths to ensure her safety. Emotional and physical.

Swallowing, the Nephilim queen nodded. "He loves me father, I wouldn't have taken him as my pairbond if I felt otherwise."

"That I am certain." he sighed and pinched his nose. "I trust you."

"Would you like to talk to him?"

For a moment he was silent. "Not now."

Nodding, she stood up. flipping her wings out of her way, she limped over to kiss his cheek.

He smiled at her. "Is it almost time for you to be off?"

"I still have an hour yet, I think. not leaving till he comes to get me anyway." SwanQueen shrugged. "He doesn't like it when I fly alone."

"Good." despite KnightHawk having negative points on Bruce's respect scale, he was still earning a few.

"Thank you for the gifts father, I'll stop by before I leave if I can." As she smiled over her shoulder at him, she limped across the room and opened the door. The Nephilim queen walked straight into KnightHawk's embrace. "KnightHawk! What-?" The question never got farther than that, because his mouth was fused to hers.

After he got his fill, KnightHawk pulled away and smiled. "I couldn't wait." He then looked up at Bruce. "Good evening sir."

Bruce gave no reaction for a moment and then nodded for his daughter's sake.

Dazed, SwanQueen tucked in her wings tighter, but kept a hold of his hand to steady herself. "Mr. Wayne gave us a few things my darling. I was going to take a closer look. Would you mind wanting a few more minutes?"

With a nod of his head, he agreed and bowed his head to Bruce. "Thank you for your gifts."

"I didn't get them for you." He said stiffly and turned his back on them. "Take your time. I'll be in my study if you need anything." He said and walked down the hall.

Still looking a bit dazzled, she followed her father down the hall, but ducked into the guest bedroom where the other gifts were kept and shut the door quietly behind her.

Knighthawk followed his mate to check out the gifts Bruce had bestowed upon the brunette. "They're nice, that's for sure." He leaned against the door frame. "Mr. Wayne doesn't like me much does he?"

His mate knelt down to examine the seed containers more closely. "I don't think so love."

"Why? I haven't done anything to him."

"Well, you have to remember that you beat up batman pretty badly when you were a human darling. They are close friends from when I've seen." Her mind was only half on the conversation. "It's possible Mr. Wayne recognizes you."

"Maybe..." He trailed off. "Did you have fun here?"

SwanQueen looked up and beamed at her pairbonded. "Yes, Mr. Wayne also gave us some livestock as well, so we'll have better food soon."

"Is that so?" He perked up at that part. "I take it we're leaving them here? We have no way of bringing them with us at the moment."

"Yes, he said that we could keep them here until we have space for them ourselves." She sounded very pleased. "Well, this is a nice surprise. We'll be able to make bread next year!"

He smiled at her, happy through her happiness. "How much longer do we have to stay for."

"I think I've done all I can here. Let me tell him goodbye and then we can leave."

"I'll wait for you at the door."

"Yes dear." Carefully and neatly putting everything away, she carefully edged past KnightHawk, making sure their wings never touched.

Smirking at his handiwork in making her edgy, he went for the door, planning his night with her while she went to say goodbye to the human that hated him.

SwanQueen smiled as she entered the study where her father was waiting. "Are you sure you will be all right alone father?"

"Yes, Terry will be here in less than an hour with Ace." He stood. "You're leaving?"

She nodded. "Yes Father." SwanQueen shifted her wings. "Nervous about your impending grandfatherhood?"

"No, not for me, more for you."

The Nephilim queen nodded. "As much as I would like to wait... it's not in the cards it seems." She shrugged. "I'll cope, I always have."

"If you need a place to keep them safe, you can keep them here until things are safe."

"Thank you father, that makes me feel better." The brunette hugged him tightly. "I'd better go before her comes looking for me again."

Bruce nodded, "Fly safe."

A week later the Nephilim Queen balanced carefully in the tree she was hidden in. She was keeping a careful watch over Betty's home. Now that she was pregnant, the brunette could hear the ticking clock as time ran out even louder than before. Soon she would have no choice but to break into the other woman's lab and pray she could find what she needed. Bruce would not be happy, but it was better than dying. Seeing Betty step out of the house, SwanQueen pressed her back up against the tree to better hide herself.

"I know you're there, bird woman. You might as well come out of your hiding place and drink a cup of tea before you hurt yourself."

With a sigh, the Nephilim Queen did as she was told, being _very_ careful about how she got out of the tree and joining Betty without a word. She was also careful about her wings as she sat down politely at the table as best as her wings would allow.

A neat cup of tea and organic biscuits followed soon after the queen's seating. "A little bird told me you couldn't have regular human food. Forgive the pun."

"Thank you. Human food no longer agrees with my system." She blew on the tea and nibbled on a biscuit, making a soft surprised sound of pleasure before devouring it and taking another. "Did you make the biscuits yourself?"

"Of course. You don't get good quality biscuits like these at a store."

"Would you be willing to share the recipe?" The young Queen asked.

"Of course. I do have to say, I was a bit surprised when Bruce told me you wanted to talk. With our last meeting I didn't think you'd ever want to come back."

The brunette raised an eyebrow, but decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. "I've been doing some shifting in my ranks."

Betty smiled. "Well that's good." she said and paused, awaiting for the queen to continue.

"Let me ask a question Betty: Where would your loyalties lie?" The Queen put down the uneaten half of her fourth biscuit.

"Myself."

She frowned, confused with that answer. "What were you planing to do if you had wings?"

"That would have to depend on what you had planned for me." She replied, taking out biscuits of her own.

Picking up her biscuit again, the Nephilim Queen stared out into space at some point above Betty's head. "I was thinking about acquiring a personal assistant, someone who could keep track of time and remind me of human appointments that I may have forgotten about. Someone who could be my right hand and trusted enough that they could stand in for me if I wasn't there."

At this, Betty's interest sky rocketed. It was clear in the way her eyes lit up. "If I were to be used for a purpose like that, you wouldn't need to worry about disloyalty."

"You would also need to learn fighting to defend yourself as well as me."

"Honey, you don't need to trouble yourself with that either. I may be getting older but I've still got it." She said and grinned. "Bruce didn't give you details as to how we met did he?"

The younger woman's lips twitched with a smile. "No he did not, he was too busy lecturing me and going postal about my pairbond."

"I see. Bruce was never always alone. He had a butler named Alfred and a ward, Dick. Dick was special, he took up everything Bruce did, including self defense. I met Dick at a street fight, I got in the cross fire and he protected me. After that we dated and he taught me everything he knew so when he wasn't with me, I could defend myself." She paused for a moment. "We were young and stupid then. Something happened to him that changed him. I hadn't heard from him in weeks and when I finally had, it was to tell me he could no longer see me. I begged Bruce to give me his contact number but I was refused. With a broken heart I didn't know what to do. I took up kendo in hopes that Dick would find some reason to want to be around me but again, Bruce refused. I tried fighting Bruce to prove I was good enough but he defeated me. And then he helped rebuild me and my heart."

"He mentioned Alfred when he gave me some gifts." She nodded. "Right now we are living fairly rough, and food is still touch and go. We eat a lot more than the humans do." The Queen smiled slightly. "Bruce is an honorable man."

"Yes. I admire him a lot. Especially for not giving me a black eye." She laughed lightheartedly but the sadness was still in her eyes.

"There is a lot of pain in him still, he's lonely but won't admit it." She said thoughtfully, reaching for a seventh biscuit.

"I know. I don't know details but I do know he's been through a great deal." It astounded Betty that they were finally able to find a middle ground when they're opinions and attitudes were so different.

"I hope I'll be able to ease that a little, but with so much to do, I don't see him as often as I would like to." She drank her cold tea thoughtfully. "Although that's mostly Ace's fault."

"His dog?"

"Yeah, he's taken an extreme liking to me. More than once I'm found myself herded to a couch or a bed and laid on until I fell asleep. Bruce says it's because I don't sleep enough."

"Well the dog's for a point to make then." She replied and toasted to Ace. "If I were to be your right hand, then I would be taking on the little tasks that take up time that you don't have to do?"

"Yes, it would leave me free to handle other problems, namely finding suitable candidates."

Nodding, Betty finished the last of her tea. "Alright." She got up and went to another room. After a few moments she came back with a small box. "I don't usually do this. I tend to have trust issues but for you I'll make an exception." She handed the queen the opened box, to show the sis DNA samples that the brunette was missing.

Sucking in her breath in awe, her mismatched eyes grew wide as her hand reached out, stopping before touching the contents. "They're here... they're all here." The Queen

whispered in a hushed voice.

Smiling, Betty put the box and cover in her lap. "Yup. Those are nearly impossible to acquire, young missy, so handle them with care."

"I never intended to do anything less." SwanQueen nodded quietly. "I know I've only got one shot at this... and right now, I can't risk any mistakes."

"Good. I know it's in good hands then."

Nodding, she shifted her wings again. "If you accept the job, you'll need to hit the ground running. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to fly in the future."

Betty nodded. "Don't worry, I'll find a way to make everything okay."

Impressed, SwanQueen nodded again. "How soon can you put your affairs in order?"

"My personal ones can be done by tomorrow night."

"Good, I want to get you out of here as soon as possible."

"Thank you." She said smiling. "My recipe, I can teach to you." Betty went into the kitchen and came out with a baggy filled with organic biscuits.

The Nephilim Queen's eyes lit up in greed. "Thank you, it seems like I'm always hungry lately..." She smiled. "I'm going to be keeping my pairbond and son busy, that's for sure!"

Betty laughed. "I'm glad we found something you can enjoy."

"As I said, right now the food situation is touch and go. We've all been eating lean lately."

"Perhaps I could gather all my organic recipes tonight and make them for everyone."

"That would be welcome. The fighters actually eat better than I do right now. And my youngest is eating salads and insects." She shrugged. "A Nephilim's diet depends on their wing type."

"At least she's getting protein." Was all she could say to that without saying something offensive. "Do you know my bird type?"

"I'm leaning towards Shrike, Great Grey most likely. It's a fighting type but not heavy duty." The Queen replied calmly.

"I'll accept what you choose. It would be a good match for me."

The Queen nodded. "When you join us, my pairbond will teach you how to hunt. Currently only one of us can be around human technology without it dying. We'll need to take down the Boss soon before we're forced to move to another area."

"I understand." She replied. "Is there anything I need to bring with me?"

"Anything you think would be helpful to surviving rough camp style. If you'd like to bring books or other supplies as a gift to the others, that would be welcome too."

"All right. I know I have a lot of those."

The Queen nodded and stood. "I'll be in touch, may I take the box with me?"

"Of course." Betty said and opened the door for her soon-to-be queen.

Nodding her farewell, she carefully put the box and the biscuits into her bag. "Thank you." Then climbed the tree and took off for home.


	23. Filling the ranks

Author's note: Thanks as always to Inu-midroko for all of her help with this chapter and all my others. Sorry for the long wait- but the end is in sight! Please enjoy the read!

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In the next three days, Betty- now called SharpShrike- had had her hands full keeping track of her. Now the tired-looking young Queen was standing on a tree stump gazing out at the small crowd of defectors from the boss' crew. Taking a deep breath, she nodded in greeting to everyone. "Does anyone have any news to report?"

"Yeah," said the leader of the rebels. "He's got family."

"The Boss? I'm aware of that. Any word of if he's planing to reconnect with them?"

"Actually Miss, you might know 'em. Word has it the kid went to your high school. Didn't catch a name. My source got caught in a cross fire shooting between gangs before I got a chance to ask."

She nodded. "All right. Anyone want to pull out completely at this point?"

Everyone stood their ground for a moment until one put up his hand. "What ever it is you3e going to ask of us next, I accept, but I have a wife and daughter at home. If I die, could you give this to my daughter," he stepped closer so she could see his dog tags. "And tell my wife I love her? Always have, always will."

Her mismatched eyes filled with compassionate tears as she nodded her agreement. "Anyone who has family is more than welcome to move them into the village. I also wanted to say that anyone who chooses to do so can speak up if they are interested in becoming a Nephilim. My people and I have cracked the code we needed to give anyone wings who wants to be reborn."

Everyone put their hands up, each wanting to have the Gift, but not yet understanding the Law that forbids them interracial relationships.

Taking another deep breath, she fought to control her pounding heart and kept her voice calm. "Please, think long and hard before accepting. Once you do this, there is no going back. If you have a sweetheart or a spouse, there is something else you need to know: Humans and Nephilim _cannot_ mate." Her voice hardened and there was steel in her gaze as her mismatched eyes swept the defectors standing before her. "This isn't a request, it is a statement of fact. The price you pay for becoming one of us is that you leave everyone you knew behind you. This isn't something that should be taken lightly, which is why I'm not asking for an answer now. Think about it and make sure that it's right for you."

Everyone fell silent, making what was once a no hesitation response, into something they really had to sit down and consider. "If we were to not choose the Gift because of our family, would we be shut out?"

"No, as I said, anyone who wishes to stay is welcome to bring their families into the village and live there with them." SwanQueen nodded. "Either way you choose, you will be safe."

"And what about work? Would we still be able to stay and protect the area around your village and living space?"

"As long as you pull your weight in the village, yes."

Allowing the men to take time to think, Betty, now known as SharpShrike, watched as each and every man walked away with deep thought etched on their faces. "Why tell them that at a time like this?" She asked, her wings fluttering with her curiosity. Like the Shrike bird, her wings were brown with a sharp black streak lining the edge of her feathers.

Accepting her assistant's help in stepping down, she hissed softly as she stepped on a stone. "Because I wanted to make certain that they don't turn on me later by claiming that I did not give them full disclosure. If we get fifteen men out of the thirty present, I'll be pleased- but I'll settle for ten. Quality- not quantity- is what matters SharpShrike."

"Understood. You need to eat now. You and your Nestling both need the nutrition."

"Again? I just ate two hours ago!" She smiled at the other Nephilim.

"You'll need it." She smiled back.

"Very well, I'll need to see if my mate is free... I think my shoe finally wore out." Limping slightly, she nodded to herself. "What else is on today's agenda?"

"You've got a meeting with the Commissioner about the latest recruiting issue, you also have a meeting with Ms. Laura about her own turning. After that you must go to the village and collect a list of the things your people need."

She nodded again. "Do I have time to eat first, or should I grab something and eat while I fly?"

"You have time to eat. There's always time to eat."

Returning to camp she greeted everyone and hugged her son tightly. "Joshua, have you seen your father since this morning?"

"Yes," he said, hugging back and then putting his ear to her belly to see if he could hear the baby. "He went into the forest with SageSparrow to help her hunt for more than squirrels."

With a sigh, she looked at SwiftSpy. "Sister can I barrow your shoes? Mine finally wore out." As she spoke she limped over to the stewpot and dipped herself a bowl after her pulled away.

"Of course." She said, typing furiously without missing a beat. Since the incident with Laura, she hadn't left the cave.

Bringing her queen acorn bread, Betty, know SharpShrike, smiled to herself. She was still a proud old woman, but she no longer felt the aches and pains of getting older. It was as if turning Nephilim paused her aging or slowed it down immensely and for that, she would never regret her decision.

Taking the bread, SwanQueen smiled her gratitude and handed her the empty bowl in exchange- she'd wolfed down her food again- and took a bite of the bread, suddenly frowning as she chewed. "SharpShrike, could you make a note that I'll need to stop by the dump sometime either today or in the next few days?"

"The dump? Why?"

"I want to see if I can salvage a few things. The flea market would be a good place too, but there are too many humans." SwanQueen put her half eaten bread aside and stood to retrieve SwiftSpy's shoes. "Good thing I have small feet..."

"The dump is a man's job, SwanQueen. Have your Pairbond and Joshua see to it."

Surprised the Queen looked up from the shoe she was tying as tight as she could. "I've done it before, good hiding places if you can't smell."

SharpShrike took a deep breath. "My Lady, I can assure you, I would go through the dump before seeing you do it. It may seem like a worthwhile thing to do but it really is no place for a queen. You want to build a reputation don't you? Rampaging through garbage is not going to get you the one you want."

"I'll speak to KnightHawk tonight if he's available." She switched to her other foot. "How's your wing? Does it still hurt from when you fell?"

Moving her left wing, Betty grinned. "All is good." When she first got the gift, she tried to fly right away without her queen's guidance. That got her both a lecture from SwanQueen and a smack to the back of the head from KnightHawk.

Satisfied that she'd done the best she could to the borrowed shoes, the Nephilim Queen stood up. "Well I think we can-" She stopped mid-sentence. "What was that sound?"

SharpShrike and SwiftSpy stopped mid step and type to listen for the sound they all heard.

The Queen took three steps forward, dropping the mask as she spread her gleaming white wings wide. "Sounds like humans, wood-wise."

Rounding the corner of the entrance to the cave, man after man lined up in rows of three, facing their queen. Every man she had talked to earlier that day was present. "My Queen, all of us but three have accepted your offer." The three men stepped out of the formation and bowed.

"We're honored for the opportunity coming from you directly, but our families...they need us." Said the man with the dog tags he was willing to give his daughter if he died. "However, that being said, if you need our help for anything at all, you can always count on us."

The queen nodded calmly. Then made a surprising decision. "The three of you with families: How old are your children?"

The man from earlier spoke first. "My daughter is seven months." The man closest to him replied, "A daughter- eight, and a son- five." The last man hesitated a moment. "I have two twin sons, both are fourteen."

The queen frowned for several minutes and started to pace in front of the crowd. You could almost see the wheels turning in her head. "What do your mates think of us?"

The first man spoke. "She fully supports what you're doing and who you are as... creatures."

"And the two of you?"

The second man with the eight and five year old spoke next. "She's unsure. All she knows is what I told her. She had a rough childhood so she's skeptical, at first. Then again my other job didn't lessen her worries any."

The last man, about forty years of age said nothing for a moment. "I'm a single father raising two teenagers."

Forgetting herself for the moment, the Nephilim Queen spoke her thoughts aloud. "I have a human son that I adopted while I was still under fire from the city. He is ten years old and I have decided to give him the Choice when he is sixteen. If your mates agree, I will consent to doing the same for your children should they decide they too wish to accept the gift."

Their eyes widened and smiles spread on their faces. "Thank you." They said in union.

Her face softened as she gazed at the three men. "I will not separate you from your families, that would be poor repayment for your services to my people. If your mates consent to the Choice, I will welcome them."

SwiftSpy smiled fondly at her Queen. "She'll make a good leader." Commented Betty. "She already is." SwiftSpy said back softly.

"Those of you who fully accept the Choice please go and retrieve your things- When my pairbond returns tell him to show you around. The three of you with families, return to your mates and speak to them. If the two of you are in agreement, then return here with your families and we'll go from there. If she does not agree to accept the gift, then return to the village. If any of you have second thoughts after my pairbond is finished with you, then please return to the village as well." She flipped her wings closed. "Does anyone have any questions about my instructions?"

"No ma'am!" They shouted and bowed.

"Dismissed!" She replied, turning on her heel and passing SharpShrike, SwiftSpy and Joshua as the brunette walked towards the tree they used for taking off and landing. Already her mind had turned to exactly what would happen at the Commisioner's office.

Sitting at her desk, once again going over some reports, Barbara pinched the bridge of her nose. Stress lines appeared around her eyes, lips and forehead.

Hovering outside Barbara's window, SwanQueen tapped it respectfully three times.

Turning around in her chair, she relaxed visibly when she saw who was knocking at her window. Opening it up for the winged girl, she stepped aside to allow her through.

Entering the room, she folded her wings and held the window open a little wider for SharpShrike. Even though the police accepted her for the most part, the Nephilim Queen didn't like being seen unless it was necessary. When she turned to face Barbara, the reason for such secrecy became clear after she flipped her wings neatly behind her. By this point her condition was just starting to show, and it was softening her figure making it look like she was glowing from within. "Hello Barbara, tough day?"

For a moment, Barbara just stared at her belly. "I'm fine... how far along are you?"

"Almost two months give or take a week." The Nephilim queen turned slightly before sitting down carefully, knowing that SharpShrike would remain standing.

"Who's this?" Asked Barbara, finally starting to understand that they were becoming more and more independent.

"SharpShrike is my personal assistant and bodyguard." The queen replied calmly. "It's not safe to fly alone right now."

Barbara narrowed her eyes on the woman. "A bodyguard..." The expression on her face let SwanQueen know that she didn't think the woman could do much but held her tongue. "What brings you to these parts?"

"I wanted to let you know that it won't be long now and ask that you not panic if I'm a little slow in flight and late to future meetings." She smiled. "We've got a large chunk of his forces on our side." The young Queen thought for a minute. "You said you wanted to talk to me about a few things as well."

"It's not so much an issue as it is an update for me. I would like to be kept up to date on the approximate numbers of Nephilim you recruit. My intention is not to limit you, as it is to keep for future records. As a courtesy, I'll extend the same to you and offer the approximate human population each year."

"Currently I have twenty-eight waiting for the gift, and three maybes. Of the twenty-eight- all of them but one are defectors from the Boss." She nodded quietly. "I haven't yet found the time to check around the high schools and other area as I'd originally planned to do..."

Writing it down, Barbara then asked, "Then there's you, your assistant, KnightHawk and... I'm sorry, I've forgotten their new names."

"SwiftSpy and SageSparrow." She replied calmly. "By the time I'm finished there will be at least one hundred of us before I destroy the formula."

Nodding, Barbara counted on her fingers. "After this week, I'm assuming then, there will be thirty-three altogether right now?"

"If the three accept, there will be thirty-five of us as I'll be giving their mates wings as well."

"Okay." Digging into her drawer, she pulled out a typed piece of paper. "I had this drafted before you came over in the chance that you accepted my offer." On the paper there was a count of how many people there were living in Gotham, a number of how many of them were known criminals and the number of how many of them have been taken under custody or have died.

Taking the paper, she stared at it in silence for several minutes before passing the paper over her shoulder for her assistant to hang onto. "Has there been any trouble with the parents about my visits to their young?"

"As of yet, no. Other schools may not be so accepting."

The queen nodded. "Good, I didn't want any nasty surprises beforehand."

"Why so young? If you don't mind my asking?"

"I've found that teenagers have the easiest time adjusting to the physical stress of being reborn and adapt better to the change happening their lives." The queen replied, giving the polite answer.

"I see. Well, all the power to you if it works."

"If the parents say anything tell them that I'm being very selective in who I choose and that each of them know what it means in the fullest measure."

"I'll be sure to relay the message."

"Any other business?" The Queen asked.

"That's all I needed you for. I'm sorry to make you come all the way here for just a brief meeting. Perhaps we can find a halfway point to meet?"

"If you can find a secure place, that would be ideal."

"Have you taken any thought into adding the six officers I lent you to your race?"

SwanQueen sat bolt upright in her chair. "They belong to you." She replied carefully.

"They don't 'belong' to me. They're my officers with their own free will to choose what they want. They've seen what you can do and they might be interested. I have enough hands here. If you want to consider giving them the Choice I don't oppose."

Already her mind was racing through her options. "None of them have approached me..." Her voice trailed out and she turned her head slightly to look at SharpShrike, silently asking if the other Nephilim had seen or heard otherwise in her Queen's absence.

SharpShrike shook her head but offered an answer on their behalf. "Perhaps they do not think you think they're worthy enough. Forgive the confusion in the sentence but it wold make sense for them no to approach you for the reasons that one, the Commissioner might see it as a betrayal, and two, you have not approached them like you do others about the Choice."

After a moment of thought she nodded. "A point." She conceded. "I hadn't approached them because of their jobs."

"You're safe to, if you wish." Barbra said and smiled. "They'll probably be happier there."

She nodded quietly. "Thank you."

After another minute, the Nephilim Queen rose from the chair. "I'll consider it, but I'm not counting on it."

"Either way, I'll keep in contact to let you know of any more updates."

"Thank you very much." Flipping her wings back, she moved toward the window again.

"I'll walk you out." Said Barbara with a faint smile.

She stopped mid-step. "Is that wise, everything considered?"

"Yes." Was the sure, one worded answer she received.

With a sigh, she turned around, following Barbara. "Thank you."

"Don't be a stranger." Said Barbara before she closed the door.

The Queen sighed and stroked her braid. "Is it close to lunchtime SharpShrike? I think Laura should be on the roof..."

"It's about time to meet her." SharpShrike nodded in affirmation.

Climbing carefully up the ladder in the alleyway across the street from the police station, the Queen pumped her wings to soar into the sky. "This won't take long I hope."

"I'll have lunch prepared for you back at the cave." She said and reached for her comm unit that she kept in a rubber pouch away from the Queen.

Nodded her agreement absently, the Queen flew off towards the school, careful to stay away from the hover cars.

Following behind after a few moments speaking to SwiftSpy, SharpShrike took off hovering above her queen and arriving at the school as the Queen landed only a few moments ago.

Arriving at the school, the Nephilim queen hovered patiently so that she could scope out the situation before landing. She wondered if Laura would still be waiting for heron the roof as she usually did during lunchtime so that they wouldn't be disturbed. "Wouldn't blame her if she's not there..." The queen murmured quietly to herself.

To the Queen's surprised delight, the red headed teen was indeed on the roof, awaiting the arrival of the Queen. She smiled and rose. "I knew you'd come."

"My apologies for not coming in the past. Things have been insane lately." SwanQueen replied after she landed, greeting Laura with a smile. "How are things?"

"No need to apologize." said Laura, her own smile widening. "Things have been wonderful. I'm just glad you found the time to talk to me."

"Are all your affairs in order by this point?" She asked, taking a seat on the bench. "Have you gotten everything that you need to court your pairbond?"

"Yes..." she said blushing. She looked down at her feet and squirmed, obviously very new at this

. "If you are truly ready to do this, then give your final instructions and say your final goodbyes. Tonight you are moving in with us." She laid her hand absently on her rounding stomach. "I can't afford to delay much longer..."

"My goodbyes are said. If you wish, I could come now, even if that means waiting until tonight for the formula."

"Are you sure that it's all right for me to pull you out of the school now?" She frowned, wondering if she'd have to make a scene after all by going into the school and speaking to the principal on Laura's behalf.

"The teachers are against it but I don't care. I'm joining you. I'll learn a lot more with you than I will anywhere else."

Resolute now, the brunette nodded in agreement. "Understood. Pack up and head out, be careful that you aren't followed please." Her stomach growled and her eyes flashed with heat. "I'll meet you there, I need food."

Nearing dusk, KnightHawk stationed himself down by the river with a sharp knife and a deer in his hands. Joshua wanted to come and help him skin the deer but it wasn't something KnightHawk wanted his son doing at this time. Not to a deer at least. A rabbit was small, small enough that he didn't have to deal with large amount of inner organs and guts. It wasn't pretty with the smallest of animals and if he could spare his son from seeing this for another year at least then he'd give him that.

Finally having finished the skinning, KnightHawk now started gutting the animal as he thought about the night's feast. He was afraid his Queen wouldn't be up to the celebration of turning not only Laura, but the entirety of the Boss' army. He smiled a little at the thought of having a son or daughter to call his own. He loved Joshua, but he was excited for the newborn. He was worried SwanQueen wouldn't be able to handle it. Sighing, he knew he could do nothing but be there for her and help her as much as possible during and after the child is born.

Thoughts of not only his new child, but also the newcomers littered his head. He would need to come up with a new strategy plan to accommodate everyone being turned. If they were to be their own race, they would need a killer defense system. Once he had that, he would work on the offence aspect of it all. Until then, he knew he could do nothing but wait until they cleared the Viper Pit, or more commonly known, the Narrows.

"There you are." SwanQueen's loving voice broke into her pairbond's thoughts as she entered the clearing, removing her clothes so that she could help him. "Everything going all right darling? I can clean the stomach and intestines if you'd like."

"I want you to rest." he said and smiled warmly at her. He reached over and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "How was your trip? Laura set to go?"

"Everything is ready. We'll be given a few days grace to get them settled in and start their training." She looked around at KnightHawk's handiwork and smiled. "Laura's gifts are already proving to be useful. Now we'll be able to use every part of our kills without wasting anything at all... That's worried me lately, I don't want to strip the land." Ignoring the blood, she began to clean the stomachs and intestines for later use. "It might be primitive to the humans, but I'd rather we use things we can make ourselves than fall into depending on them."

"What are you planning on making with those?" he asked, not thinking of a use for the innards himself.

"From glancing over one of the books, stomachs and intestines make good containers. We can also use the intestines for sausage casings- I think. Tomorrow I'll read the book more fully." His mate shrugged quietly. "There's a series I used to read just before I was turned... wish I had it now..."

"I can do that research. Leave the food to the men. All you women have to do is cook it." He winked.

SwanQueen laughed. "Sweetheart, I do love you but you wouldn't know what to do. Those computers won't last forever."

"I'm not going to use a computer. Despite popular belief, I can read, you know." He said and tried to be serious but his grin took over his features. "I was planning on the library."

She smiled and kissed him. "Play nice sweetheart."

"I will." He murmured and got to sorting the meat on the animal from the fat. "How is SwiftSpy taking Laura's soon be to arrival?"

"Nervous as a cat with kittens." Putting the clean guts aside, she gathered the fat he handed her in a bowl for later cleaning. "She's keeping her distance, but hasn't let her out of her sight."

"They're going to be a handful for a while. Have you thought a name for her?"

"They have to choose their own names lover." She licked her lips staring at the raw meat, then caught herself and snarled softly in displeasure.

"Right, I forgot. It seems like its been so long since I've turned."

Smiling affectionately at her pairbond, she kissed him again just because she could. "It's hard to believe you were once the human robber I teased after taking your credits back."

"Well, love changes a man." He said smiling. The look on his face made it clear he would ever even dream of hurting her.

The look in her eyes was full of love. "That it does my darling. Would you like a girl or a boy- of course, from the way I'm eating we might be looking at a double load. Were you taking something?"

"Twins? That would be fantastic. I wanted both and since we have Joshua I figured if we had a girl it wouldn't be so bad. I wasn't taking anything though. Nothing but you." He said with a wicked grin.

"It's too soon to tell for sure- but I can't seem to stop eating and it's like I'm hungry all the time," She blushed in embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed. You're small already and you're eating for two. Besides, our son or daughter probably has my appetite."

"By Earth and Sky, I'm not going to be able to fly if this keeps up!"

"Good. You should be resting anyways. Not flying."

"If you'd had your way, I'd be sitting on a throne being fanned and fed by my servants!" She teased taking her bowl to rinse the blood from the fat in the bowl.

"Of course, you're a Queen after all. I'm just sorry I don't have the power or resources to do it for you."

Washing her hands, SwanQueen laughed. "I hate to tell you this, but I'm not that breed of Queen darling."

"I know. But one day, it will happen. As a gift from me."

"If that happens I'll get way too fat." She grinned over her shoulder. "Almost done there?"

"Just about." He said and dumped the last of the meat into a container.

"We can take the bones too, eat out the marrow."

"Alright." He separated the bones from the body and put the bones in with the meat.

Setting the bowl of fat aside, the Nephilim Queen stood and joined her mate. "After we take this to the others, we'll need to bathe."

With a flirtatious grin, KnightHawk agreed. "Together?"

"KnightHawk!" Heat flooded his mate's face, threatening to travel past the collarbone. "You can't be thinking...!"

"Of course I am." He picked her up and kissed her full on the mouth.

"KnightHawk!" She yelped again, seeing the meat and bone fall into the fat she had just washed even as her wings folded submissively to her pairbond's will. "What was that for!"

Her mate grinned. "What do you like, my love?"

"I love you dearly, but you are insatiable! Don't forget I now carry your Nestlings under my heart." She hugged him. "I'm not going to stray from you."

"I know that." He said and gave her one last kiss. "I'll leave you be, don't worry."

When he put her down again, she sighed. "Take the meat and bones back before they spoil. I'll catch up to you."

"And leave you here naked and defenseless? Never. What kind of husband would I be if I did that?"

"I won't be long love! I just need to wash the fat off again."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Are you going to continue hovering over me during the entire pregnancy?" She asked, watching her mate retrieve the meat and bone from the bowl.

"Yes. I worry enough over you as it is and now that you have our child in you, I'm going to be sick from it. Watching over you and our Nestling is the only way I can work without being distracted with worry for you, my love."

"What did you do before I came along then?" As she spoke, she rinsed the fat and carefully cleaned the wooden bowl.

"What do you mean? Before I met you?"

"What else would I mean? I sure as Earth couldn't shake you off me after you took me out to dinner in exchange for the pack of notecards- and make no mistake- I tried."

KnightHawk laughed. "What can I say? I was enthralled." He paused for a moment, his smile fading. "I was...not good before I met you. Hadn't a care in the world for anyone else but myself."

"You turned several of my hairs silver and made me loose a lot of sleep when you threatened to expose me that day in class." Finished, she picked up the bowl again and walked at her pairbond's side.

"I was also a prat." He grinned at her. "Besides, all that said and done, I still managed to get you to love me."

"How could I have done anything else, the way you courted me?" She replied with a fond smile. "You certainly wasted no time after your rebirth making your intentions known!"

"Well you certainly didn't object." He smiled fondly back at her and began washing himself up.

"It was kind of hard to, you wouldn't let me out of your sight for the first week." She replied moving a rock aside to reveal their bathing kit and handing him his bar of soap and retrieving her own and scrubbing vigorously.

Removing his clothes, stepped into the water and did the same. "Are you complaining, Swan?" He asked teasingly.

"No, not now. Back then I was more than a little worried about your interest after all the time you detested me." She paused in the act of scrubbing at her neck. "Be careful not to get your wings wet, they take forever to dry."

"Right." He said, taking care not to wet them when he tried to wash off his back.

Without being asked, his mate wadded over and took his soup to scrub his back. "I'm hoping for a girl." She admitted quietly. "Secure the line to the throne."

"Me too. It would be nice for Joshua to have someone to protect."

She smiled. "Agreed. I'd like a little princess."

"One just like you." He smiled and looked back at her.

The Nephilim Queen smiled and carefully rinsed his back. "Flatterer."

He said nothing, allowing his silence to do the talking for him. After a moment, he spoke. "We'll need a blacksmith."

"Agreed, but that could be asking for a bit much. The humans rely on their technology more than anything else."

"If we're reverting back to the old ways, we'll need a blacksmith. Part of being with us, is being us and everything we stand for."

"If one is willing- well and good- if not I'll try to find someone. I'd like a jeweler as well- We'll have several mated pairs soon..."

"Mated pairs? Who?"

"Well, SwiftSpy and Laura for a start, and I'm certain they'll be others."

"Oh yes. I momentarily forgot about them. Something about your presence makes me think of nothing but you." He said, grinning teasingly.

"We'll need to work on that my love." She replied, offering her back to him in the ultimate gesture of trust as she offered him her herbal soap.

Washing her back gently and carefully, he took extra care in avoiding her wings.

"You can get my wings wet love- waterproof remember?" She said, sighing under his hands and arching into them.

"Right." He replied and ran his soapy hands over her feathers. "They're so soft..." He said in a daze.

His Queen whimpered in pleasure as his touch. "An owl's is softer still."

"I prefer this."

"Sweetheart... stop please..." Her knees started to shake when her caressed her wings. "We can't risk it!"

"I'll be gentle. I know I've been rough in the past but I'll take care of you. Especially when you're with child." He said, massaging his fingers a little deeper into her feathers.

Her only answer was a whimper. "You seducer..."

With a small smirk of triumph, he placed his mouth on her neck and gave that patch of skin, a searing kiss. "Give the word, and I'll show you exactly how gentle, how slow I can go, just to please you."

Even as she stepped back into his embrace and turned her head to give him more she tried to remain in control. "The others..."

"Will have to deal with what they see if they come down here." He whispered and licked between her shoulder blades.

His Queen purred. "I thought once I was out of heat you'd be out of the rut." She was shaking now and would have fallen if her mate hadn't picked her up.

"No, I just have better control."

"Are you saying I don't?" she asked, cradled in his arms.

"Well, no, but I have no other way to prove my love to you. It's an urge I can't resist."

"Are you still afraid I'll leave you now that there are other male Nephilim?" She asked, starting to regain control of her senses again.

"No, not at all. If anything, I'm afraid they'll make advances on you. I don't think I could control myself if I discovered it. It would be a fight to the death."

Shocked, she swung her legs free as though to stand again. "You don't trust me to stay faithful to you even though I bare your Nestlings in my womb!"

"I do trust you. You mistook what I said, my love." he said tried to calm her with an embrace. "I trust you to be faithful. I do not trust them to not stay away from you."

"Then let me deal with them." She answered, slipping from his arms to rinse herself clean.

"How does that let me prove my worth as your Pair?"

"Because I stand beside you accepting no other!" She snapped her wings open to shed the water off them, the drops falling like diamonds back into the water.

His own wings snapped open as a reaction to hers. "That does not mean they won't try!"

"Of course not!" Now she was angry as she turned to face her pairbond. "But I chose you, I wouldn't be tempted otherwise."

Grabbing her by the shoulders, he pulled her to him. "I know you won't be tempted! I know you would choose no other! Damn it SwanQueen, I can't bare the thought of another man looking at you with lust in his eyes! Whether you notice or not does not matter. The urge is there, I can not escape it."

"What do I have to do then?" She yelled, pulling free from her mate and stepping to pick up their soaps.

"Nothing! Do nothing! Let me handle them."

She snarled. "And watch you coat your hands with the blood of our own people? Never!" Finding the bars of soap, she scooped them up out of the water and started to walk back to her clothes.

Snarling, he turned his back to her to regain composure before the other side of him leaked through. "I will not fight them, for you." he said with difficulty.

"We are mated pairbond- I made that clear."

"Jealousy runs strong in my veins, I can not help it."

"You weren't jealous before!"'

"You weren't in heat before! It... changed something. I don't know what but... it's hard to explain."

"I'm pregnant now, not in heat!" His Queen snapped back.

"I don't know!" he snapped. "I'm doing this one day at a time, I'm feeling things I know I shouldn't feel, but do! I'm living blind here, SwanQueen."

Snarling under her breath, she flipped her wings back, stepping out of the water to dry herself. "We should head back, we took a while." she said too calmly- the mood completely broken.

"I'll be there shortly." he said curtly and walked further into the water.

His Queen left- upset enough that she didn't take the bowl of fat with her- it was their first real fight.

Giving a roar of anger, Chaos beat the water trees with his fists. Why couldn't she understand what he was trying to say? Now it only made him seem like an asshole mistrusting his wife.

By dawn, the last scream had faded as the new Nephilim sought sleep to heal. SwanQueen Ate as much as she could hold as she took stock. Laura was a falcon like her mate, and of those reborn, most of them were fighter types. She hadn't spoken to KnightHawk all night save to give him an order. The others had gone to bed- those who were paired were curled around their mates. Exhausted, she continued chew the stew in her bowl. She was going to sleep in their nest tonight, and she didn't care if she had to shove him out to do it! Finally finished, she stood and walked into the forest where he had made their nest in another shallower cave that was used for their privacy. The Queen stretched out without bothering to undress, ignoring her mate's footsteps as she curled up in the furs.

Taking off his clothes, KnightHawk laid in the bed on his back and sighed. "How long are you planning on being mad at me?"

She shifted folding her wings to give him room. "Until you stop acting like every male is a threat to me when I've never given you any reason to think I'd encourage them." His mate replied sleepily.

"It's in my nature, as a man, to need to protect you. Why can't you understand that I have no problem with you around them, as long as they don't try any advances." He rolled onto his side. "Whether you give them reason or not, and I believe you when you say you wouldn't ever, one male that we take in, will still try. I guarantee it."

"Because it if the nature of males to be affectionate towards females that they care about- ones that are not their mates. They are awed by me and want to show they care. They can flirt and play, but the Nest belongs only to you." She did not bring up the possibility of an emergency.

"Play? What do you mean by play?"

"They- especially the younger ones- will use me as a practice pair to learn what the proper method of courtship is. And before you get your back up, let me remind you that you will end up doing the same for the ladies!"

Sighing in defeat he rolled over to her. "I'm sorry. I'll keep myself in check okay? The last thing I want to do is embarrass you in front of everyone because I have anger issues." He took her small hands in his and kissed her knuckles. "I love you."

She rolled over on her side- careful not to pin her wing and let her hand lie in his. "I love you too KnightHawk."

"Forgive me?" He asked, his lips on the tips of her fingers.

"Always." She whispered, closing her eyes so she wouldn't cry.

Leaning in, he kissed her eyelids, her forehead, the tip of her nose and lastly her lips. He lingered a moment longer than the others and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you seducing me again?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder, starting to drift off.

"No, my love. We've had a long day and need rest. I have news for you but it can wait until morning."

Shifting so that her wing covered him, his queen did not hear KnightHawk's answer as she was already fast asleep.

Waking with a start, the Nephilim Queen knew automatically that she'd seriously overslept. Easing off of her mate to let him sleep, she pushed the loose strands of hair from her face as she exited the cave. Today was the day that she met with the six police officers and formally offered them a place in her ranks. Privately though- after what they had seen the night before she highly doubted they'd agree to leave Barabra. Still, she would give them the option and see where things went from there... Her train of thought was derailed completely as her mate woke up and hugged her from behind. "Good morning."

"Good morning, my love."

"I hope everyone else is still asleep- otherwise I'll be unpardonably late." She let him hold her.

"I'm sure they will be." he looked outside and gauged the time by the sun in the sky. "It appears to only be around nine in the morning."

"I thought it was closer to noon, it sure feels like it." She shrugged, pausing when her mate didn't let go. "Honey?"

"I'm comfortable." he grinned and laughed.

"What are you going to go when I get too big to fly?" She asked half jokingly.

"I'll die." he said over exaggeratedly and went limp in mock death.

She laughed. "I'm going to bathe, could you run up and grab my white uniform?"

"Of course." he said and let her go so he could roll out of the furs he's wrapped around himself. It was rare for him to show his humorous side but he laughed off the twinge of embarrassment he felt and retrieved her uniform for her bath.

When he joined her at the pond, she was already scrubbing hard at herself. The Queen hated being dirty, and she tried to bathe at least once every day even though the water was cold. "Anyone up yet?" she called as she rinsed off to soap up again.

"A few, SwiftSpy and SageSparrow. The rest are all sleeping."

She nodded. "Anything left to eat?"

"Lots." he said and smiled.

"I thought we ate it all, I remember finishing off the stew." She knelt on one knee to spread her wings under the water, cleaning them.

"SharpShrike made more last night." he said and winked. "Surprise for you."

She laughed again. "I'm surprised she grew so loyal so quickly."

"Who wouldn't?"

The Queen shrugged. "I learned to be careful."

"And adorable." he retorted.

Standing she walked towards her mate to dry herself off. "Flattery will get you nowhere darling heart."

Smirking, Chaos rose with her. "At some point it will."

She flipped the water off her wings. "You're at it again," she accused her pairbond. "We don't have time to play right now." Opening her wings again, she stepped out of the pond and dried her legs so that she could dress.

"I don't know what you're talking about." he said, faking innocence but left her alone. "What's on the agenda for the day?"

"Taking to the six police officers, quick brunch, checking food supplies, then I need to visit someone." As the queen spoke she dressed in an almost unseemly haste, dancing in place to get her pants up, SwanQueen snarled softly in impatience.

"You can spare a few relaxing moments to get dressed, darling." he replied and lazily put his pants on in the time it took her to get dressed. "I have to train a few of our new men today so if you're looking for me, I'll be in the field."

"I'm _hungry_..." She snarled back, finally getting her shoes on and was now fighting with her shirt. Her temper was slowly getting shorter as the Nestlings within made their needs known.

"I understand that but obviously the more you try to rush the more you mess up." he crossed his arm across his chest and tilted his head at her.

Snarling louder, she finally got it on. "You've never been this hungry." She told her mate.

"Well how about from now on I have a fresh batch of food for you in the morning? That way you can eat and then dress in no hurry."

His mate stopped snarling, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

With a small smile he left the nest and went into the field to meet the men.

The Nephilim Queen headed towards the camp, sniffing the air to instinctively check the state of the stew, carefully entering the camp- she stepped carefully to avoid stepping on her new 'children'. "Morning." She called softly, wanting to see if anyone was up.

"Good morning." said a groggy Laura, coming from SwiftSpy's room. She rubbed her face and shook out her wings to stretch them a little. Sitting down at the table, she let her red head rest on the hard surface.

"Careful of your wings, they are fragile right now." She said, her attention only half on the conversation as she rested her hand on the table someone in the group had brought from somewhere.

"I know. All I was asked last night was if my wings were hurting. Among other things." she said and flushed red.

"Believe me, it might be annoying, but it's better than the alternative young one."

"Which is?" she asked, looking up with a tired eye.

"Injuring your wings and grounding yourself for life." She said.

"Yeah... are there any apples?"

"I don't know. but I'm starving. These Nestlings eat nonstop."

Getting up, Laura looked into the basket of food in the small corner and jumped for joy when she found apples. Bringing the basket out, she put it on the table.

Snatching a pomegranate, she ate it single-mindedly. Still, her eyes roamed as though looking for someone. The Queen wanted that stew.

Just then Joshua barreled in and hugged his mother around the waist. "Morning Mom! Are you hungry? Dad made me put the stew in the coolest corner of the cave last night." he said and grabbed the pot and dragged it over to her. Lighting a fire, he hung the pot up and watched it heat before putting some in a bowl for her, Laura and himself. "Here you go Mom. How's the baby?" he asked and looked at her stomach.

"Your little sibling is very hungry." She answered managing a smile as a loud unladylike gurgle was heard from the Queen's rounding belly. She picked up her spoon and dug in hurriedly, ignoring the heat as she sucked in air to keep from burning her mouth.

Josh stared at his mom with an open mouth for a moment. "Geez mom, slow down. Dad says that when I do that I could choke. You could choke too so take your time." he said in a firm tone and a small frown.

When she looked at her son, it was the Other looking back though SwanQueen's eyes. "May I have something to drink please son?" She asked instead.

Getting up, he went to the pitcher and poured his mother a cup of water and brought it back to her.

This the brunette drank slowly, by the time most of her family was up. She had eaten three bowls of stew and two cups of water before the hunger pangs went away. Now thinking clearly, she smiled at her son's surprise. "We were very hungry dearest."

"I noticed..." He replied and just finished his first bowl of stew. "I'm going to go hunt for more food." He said and like the adult he tried to be, held his chest high and grabbed his hunting knife and sling shot. "I'll be back later."

"Your father is in the field whenever you want another lesson." She told her son as she helped him clean up. "Be careful."

"'Course." He said and with a swift glance around to make sure no one was watching, he gave his mom a quick hug and scurried off before anyone could look over or raise their heads in question.

Laughing softly, she turned towards the main fire where the six police officers were waking up. "Good morning." she called to them.

"Morning." Officer Kyle said and smiled. "How's the little tyke?"

"Adjusting to his mother's morning moods." She laughed as she walked over to Kyle. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you." The once arrogant officer had learned manners during his stay with the Nephilim. "KnightHawk informed us that you had a question to ask us?" He said and each officer, with groggy eyes stood behind him.

Smiling, she gestured them to take seats. "How do you like living with us?" SwanQueen started off softly, not wanting to spook anyone.

"Its comfortable." Said one of the men. And the others responded in kind, saying they were happy, it was peaceful.

"Would you like to live here full time- As a Nephilim?" She asked quietly. "I've been watching each of you, and you've earned your place among us if you choose."

Jaws dropped all around but the happy grins and looks of acceptance passed over their features in moments. Kyle turned and saw their expressions. "We," he turned back to face her. "would like nothing more."

"Do you have families? Any of you?"

"Yes, we do."

"I'll ask that before we go further you go home and discuss it with your spouses and children. I'm not going to break up your families over this. Your mate must agree to be given the gift with you, and your children will be given the choice when they are sixteen." She shifted, straightening to look each one in the eyes. "Believe me when I say that crossbreeding between our species is _not_ an option."

"Thank you." Said Kyle and one by one they bowed to her. "We'll have you an answer by the end of the week."

She nodded and smiled. "Thank you for your time."

Within a matter of moments SharpShrike came to her Queen's side once she was alone. "How are you feeling this morning?" She asked.

"I almost bit KnightHawk and Joshua's heads off before breakfast. It took three bowls of stew, one pomegranate, and two cups of water before I felt civil enough to speak to the human team." She sighed. "And the day's just starting..."

"Well, mood swings will be prone. A lot worse than menstrual mood swings so I'd warn everyone now not to take it to heart."

"I'm more worried about the food situation. The way I'm eating I think I've got more than one passenger on board right now, and our supply is still pretty limited now that there are more of us..."

"We'll have to borrow from farmers around Gotham. KnightHawk still has a hefty amount of credits left, perhaps we could buy what we need for a year or so from some farmers?"

She nodded slowly. "I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything. you know human food is inedible..."

"There are organic fields in Canada that don't have the fertilizers and pest control that ruins the food. I can look into it if you want."

"That would be pricey though wouldn't it- because of the distance?"

"We need to survive, SwanQueen."

SwanQueen snarled softly. "Agreed. We'll figure it out..."


	24. Final straw

Author's note: Thanks as always to Inu-midroko for all of her help with this chapter and all my others. Sorry for the long wait! Please enjoy the read and leave a review!

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A six month pregnant SwanQueen had a polite smile affixed to her face so as not to scare the children exercising on the gym floor with the gym teacher Devlin Keen. However, most of her attention was on the argument she was having with his partner Michael Holliway. Her voice was low and intense as she struggled not to shout. "Michael I know you say you'll be fine, but I don't like having the three of you so far away. The Boss has been far too quiet for my liking. He's already kidnapped one child- I don't want your son to be next! I won't be able to fly for much longer. Please reconsider moving to my territory where the three of you will be safe!" Still smiling, she paused to wave at the children when they grinned in her direction. "Please for all your sakes, I'll arrange everything so things will stay as normal as possible, but I can't risk the three of you being kidnapped!" As the Queen's back was to the door, she didn't notice a human had opened the door and slipped inside to listen.

Michael sighed. "Lady Angelus, you are doing your best, especially now in your condition. However we can't leave our jobs on such short notice- you of all people know that. The principal doesn't mind your visits, but if you take more students- or teachers- from this school to fill your ranks, there's going to be serious problems. Plus, the CPS is still smarting over the matter of your son. You know what would happen if Kyle was taken from us."

The Nephilim Queen frowned. "I won't let that happen to him. Nonetheless, if the Boss gets ahold of him, we'll all be in trouble. Would you consent to letting Kyle stay with us for a while at least? He'll be watched."

He sighed and looked down at his shoes. "I'd have to talk with Devlin about it, I can't make these decisions alone when it will affect him too."

"I know that Michael. Can I stop by tonight so that we can talk this over? My pairbond would like to come as well."

"Yeah, can you make it for nine? Kyle will be in bed by then."

"You mean if he doesn't escape by then- Yes, we'll be there around nine." She smiled at the English teacher, then eyed the two boys playing together. "They get along well."

"Yeah, Kyle really enjoys Joshua's company."

"I missed him very much." She smiled again at Michael. "I want both you and Devlin to know that you would all be welcome among us if anything happens to you."

He smiled his thanks to her. "How are you doing?" He asked, indicating her growing belly.

"Eating nonstop, and it's getting harder and harder to fly. I'll need to be grounded soon until I've given birth." She smiled affectionately at her heavy rounded belly. "The others are ready to wait on me hand and foot, or so I'm told."

"Well, the service won't be wasted." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "You've been so good to us. How can we ever repay you?"

"My duty and my privilege to help Michael. You are good people, and don't deserve to hide who you are." Her mismatched eyes softened. "If people turn their backs on you, than they weren't worthy of knowing you in the first place." She shifted on her feet. "Mind if I sit for a few minutes?"

"Not at all, my lady." He said and sat down with her at her desired spot. "How is Joshua taking the pregnancy?"

"He seems happy about it, I get a lot of hugs as he keeps trying to hear the Nestling, although he didn't like getting his ear kicked very much," She smiled affectionately. "I'm getting fussed over a lot. When I say they are waiting on me hand and foot, I'm not kidding."

"It's not a wasted effort." he said smiling, "I would like it a lot if Kyle could stay with you and Joshua. I'm not the only one taking care of him though, so Devlin is going to need to be talked to."

"I know that Michael, the three of you are a package deal. I'm not a human you know." Although she sounded annoyed, her mismatched eyes were dancing in good humor.

Laughing he nudged her playfully in the arm. "Hey now, us humans aren't so bad."

Her mismatched eyes softened and she briefly extended one wing to give him a Nephilim embrace. "True, yet there are times I want to scream when I think about the good that you don't do."

"I never said we were perfect." he winked at her and just watched his son and Joshua for a few moments, enjoying the embrace he knew few received.

"I know." The Queen sighed. "Is there anything I need to know?"

"Their numbers stay about the same. Some come, some go but the one you have to worry about is Nelson Nash, he's adamant about the movement. I haven't been able to keep a closer eye on them but I know he's planning something. Be careful."

She nodded quietly. "I'm aware of that, thank you." Refolding her wings, she stood up. "I'll be right back, need the Ladies room."

Nodding, he watched her off until she turned a corner and could no longer be seen.

The Nephilim Queen waddled down the hall, spreading her wings for better balance as she anchored her growing young to keep an even keel. "Dearhearts, you are making it hard for your mommy to walk..." She said to them affectionately.

"Not one, but two eh?" asked the red haired teen. Having heard the whole conversation, Nelson took it upon himself to speak to the brunette.

SwanQueen stopped in her tracks- adding her other arm to protect her midsection. "It's possible."

Nelson grinned. "An their names will be what? Odette and Scuttle?" he asked with a dry laugh. "You have no idea what you've subjected them to."

She carefully balanced herself- wishing her mate was nearby- and returned Nelson's gaze calmly. "Please move Nelson. I'd prefer not to discuss things with you that are none of your concern." Even as she spoke though, she tucked her wings in tightly and stepped to one side to go around him. Suddenly she smiled- but it wasn't at him. "Don't kick so hard, I'm moving as fast as I can."

Catching her wing, he knew how delicate they were, and held on tight. "We need to have a little chat."

"Can I use the ladies room first?" She asked, her face turning pale.

"You have three minutes." He let her go and stood by the door.

After completing her private needs, the Nephilm Queen came back, outwardly composed. "What is it Nelson?"

Leading her into an unused room, he shut the door behind himself and leaned against the door, effectively blocking her from trying to leave. "You're making a mistake."

Uneasy, she frowned at him, trying to ignore the fear that was threatening to squeeze her heart into her throat. "What mistake is that?"

"Having... those." He said, his eyes narrowing on her stomach.

"It's a little late now to reconsider that at this point Nelson." She replied.

"Kill them." He said coldly. "Or someone else will."

She snarled and laid her hands protectively across her stomach. "Do you think that I would kill my own Nestlings? I am no fool, I planned ahead." She narrowed her eyes. "Is this jealousy? Is that it?"

"It is not me you have to fear." He snapped. "Don't flatter yourself more than you already have. You don't stand a chance against what's headed your way and if you don't kill them, they will suffer a fate far worse than you could ever imagine."

Her eyes were blazing. "Why are you showing concern considering you hate me?"

"It's not concern." He retorted. "It's a warning."

"I see." Her words were clipped and angry. "Anything else?"

"You're home is being raided as we speak. I figured I should tell you now so it's not a surprise for when you get back and it's all in ruins."

Her face tightened. "Liar. I'm grateful that you are not the father of my children."

"You'll see." He said tightly and opened the door. "We'll see who has the last laugh when I'm the one giving the instruction to kill them." He slammed the door shut behind him and left the school to report to his father.

A few minutes later, Michael poked his head in the classroom to find the Nephilim Queen kneeling on the floor, white as a sheet. Without saying a word, he went into Devlin's office and dialed a number with a hand that shook madly. "SwiftSpy? It's Michael, is KnightHawk there?"

"Just one moment..." She said and after a moment, KnightHawk's voice came through. "SwanQueen?"

"Thank god... KnightHawk, you better get here now... I think something is wrong with the Queen."

"Where are you?" He asked, his Other coming out instantly.

"We are still at the school. I think she might have fought with someone on the way either to or from the ladies room. She doesn't appear to be hurt, but I'm afraid to go near her..."

"I'll be there in ten. Keep her there."

When Knighthawk got there, his Queen was shaking from head to toe, but was slowly getting to her feet. Her teeth were chattering as she wrapped one arm around her midsection. "Shh... Shh... I'm h- h- here Nes- Nestlings... Mommy isn't - g g-going to let a- a- anyone hurt you..." She murmured in a shaking voice.

"SwanQueen." KnightHawk's voice was strong, commanding her attention to let her know he was there. Wrapping his arms and wings around her, he engulfed her in protective vibes. "What happened?"

"Showdown with Nelson Nash- not sure who won."

Growling, he tensed. "He was here?"

Relaxing in his arms, she shivered and pressed close as though trying to get warm. "He said that if I had any sense at all I would kill the Nestlings after they were born." She bit back a sob and cuddled closer. "He also said 'You don't stand a chance against what's headed your way and if you don't kill them, they will suffer a fate far worse than you could ever imagine.' And that our home had been found and everyone was killed. When I called him a liar and accused him of jealousy his exact words were: 'We'll see who has the last laugh when I'm the one giving the instruction to kill them.' After he left I must have blanked out, cause I don't remember falling..."

"He hasn't found us. Our men would have reported anyone even coming close to the village." He pulled her tighter but was careful not to hurt her belly. "I promise nothing is going to happen to them," he put his hand on her belly. "to you," he kissed her lips softly. "or to our home."

SwanQueen was still shaking. "I know, just the pregnancy throwing my emotions out of wack... sorry you had to come for nothing..."

"I'd come for less than less."

She took a deep breath. "I think you better go straight to Barbara after you take Joshua home. I'd feel safer if Nelson was locked up... Darling I... I think Nelson's working with the Boss."

The Boss barely felt his pen snap in his hand. All of his attention was focused on the person in front of them. "Are you certain? Could you be wrong?" He asked sharply, feeling his anger mount to new heights.

"Affirmative." His red haired son Nelson, stood in front of him, his back straight and his head held high to please his father. "She's due in three-four month's time."

The Boss used an oath that was acid enough to burn his desk. "I hadn't even considered that they could breed..." he muttered to himself. "That could be useful to us."

"What do you need me to do, father?" He asked, making a slight bow.

"For now, be careful. That Queen is a smart one- she stole quite a few men right out from under my nose. She has a lot to answer for..." Automatically he rubbed his chest as though it hurt. "Did you want her for yourself my son?" The Boss smirked at his son. "I wouldn't mind if you did, I'd consider it poetic justice actually..."

"Yes. I want her as mine, but I don't want those things she calls Nestlings. Those weren't created from me."

The Boss smirked at his son. "It is fitting, the mother refused me, so it's fair that I give you her daughter. She has caused us both great pains..." Undoing his shirt, he showed his son the scars on his chest that the Queen had given him.

"Let us take them down father. I want them all to suffer." He said menacingly and grinned. "The Queen won't know what hit her."

Beaming at his son, the boss nodded. "That's my boy. Will you marry her or not? Arrangements must be made either way. My men are close- but I'll still give her credit- she is her mother's daughter through and through regardless of the lack of bloodlines between them..."

"I want her as my wife, father. More than I thought possible. Our social status would skyrocket."

He smirked. "Why didn't you think of that before letting her see another man?"

"I was not aware she was consorting with another." He said and bowed his head.

His father chuckled. "In the future, don't let her out of your sight."

"Yes father."

"The only thing that stopped me from winning the Nephilim creator as my wife was your fiancée."

"Arianna? How?" He asked, dropping the respectful new name that she chose for herself.

"She attacked me and injured me bad enough to keep me at bay while Alexis called the cops. I think she'd only been in her new form a few days and was relearning how to walk again..."

"Why did she attack you?"

"I was arguing with Alexis and was restraining her."

"Arianna probably thought you were trying to hurt her mother."

"Most likely- Alexis was sure surprised to even see the girl standing on her own two feet!" He chuckled. "That's the only time I think the woman was truly surprised about anything."

"I told her, her Nestlings will die. What do you really have in mind for them?"

"Give them to her so-called mate to take care of. They'll be valuable hostages to ensure everyone's good behavior. After all, they are royalty." The Boss picked up another pen. "You feel otherwise of course, but they do not. I've seen her injure herself to save a human child. They will do even more for one of their own."

"I don't care what you do with them, father. As long as I have my woman."

His father chuckled. "You truly are my son."

Grinning with pure evil, Nelson gave him a grateful look. "I'm happy I please you. What do you need me to do?"

"That depends, how far do you want to go? Would you enjoy retrieving your future bride yourself or have my men do it for you?"

"If I do it myself, there's no chance in her becoming mine. I want to take over your establishment one day when you're no longer able to. Train me, father."

"Very well. I'm glad you are my heir Nelson." He smiled and stood up. "Let's see if there is any news for us."

"Sir," the men surrounding the table paled and stood at attention for the Boss as they entered the room side by side. "We've figured out their range!"

"Excellent!" He grinned and with his massive body, trudged over to the man who spoke up. "Where are they located?"

Paling even more, the man pointed to a spot in the forest- smack dab _between_ the two hideouts of the Narrows and the place the Queen had been held prisoner.

"She's been right under our nose the entire time! Brilliant! Absolutely bloody brilliant." He slammed his fist down angrily on the table. "Who found them?"

"I did sir." a voice replied. A man stepped out from the shadows. "It was not easy, they blend in very, very well."

Smiling, he walked up to the man. "You've done well. Pull a team together to raid their home. Do it successfully and you'll have the honor of training my son."

Swallowing the man nodded. "Is that wise given our main target's condition? I'd be concerned about the effect the stress would have, after all, we still know nothing about them."

"I don't care, Daniels. Just raid it and get her to me, alive."

The man's face closed up. "I will do my best sir." At his side, the man's hand balled into a fist of tension.

Nelson smirked. "Do better than that, I don't want her dying before we have her."

"As I said, I think it's too dangerous, our former comrades are her subjects now, and in the current state anything can happen. We don't know enough about them to garentee they'd survive the trip!" Daniel answered through gritted teeth. "Remember what happened last time?"

Grabbing the man by the collar of his shirt, the boss pulled him tight, close to his face. "I don't care Daniels. That's your problem to solve. Don't ask questions or you won't live to see another day."

"Father!" Nelson snapped. "He's just pointing out the flaws so that we don't make the same mistakes and underestimate her again."

Taking out his gun, the Boss shot at his son's toes and then shot Daniel's in the head. "You," he pointed his gun at another man. "Your name is Jackson, correct?" without waiting for an answer, the Boss continued. "Unless you want to end up like him," he said pointing his gun at Daniels' lifeless form. "you'll take on his task. I don't care how you manage it, just get it the fuck done!"

Nelson took a step back, narrowing his eyes in thought as he studied his father. 'No wonder she's been able to spite us for so long...' He thought, slipping back into the shadows to think about this.

Meanwhile, Barbara looked up from her desk in startlement at the pounding on her office door. When KnightHawk exploded into the room with murder in his icy depths, she knew that something was horribly wrong. She had never spoken with the Queen's mate before so she knew this was bad news of the worst sort even as she got to her feet to greet him. "KnightHawk what-!"

"I want Nelson locked up! Today! I don't care if I have to find him to have it done. I want him behind bars!"

"Calm down, what happened? Why are you so angry?" Barbara asked, startled. "Where's SwanQueen?"

"She's safe. Nelson Nash ambushed her. He threatened her and our Nestlings' lives. She was white as a sheet when I found her."

"What! Is she all right? Tell me everything!" The elderly commissioner motioned for him to sit down.

"She flew to the school to visit a couple friends. Nelson was there and when he got her alone he told her that she was making a mistake and that our kids would suffer a fate worse than death. He told her that he would have the last laugh giving the order for their death." His ice cold eyes lit with enraged fire. "I want him gone, Commissioner. I'm not permitting her to fly until he's been arrested."

"Did he say anything else that could incriminate him? I need the conversation word for word. I can't arrest him unless it's more than personal threats." Barbara replied, struggling to remain calm. "It's just words KnightHawk. Is it possible that SwanQueen misunderstood and let her emotions take over her judgement?"

"No!" He pounded his fists on the desk. "He's going to try to hurt her! SwanQueen has reason to believe he's working for the Boss."

Barbra raised an eyebrow. "Does she have proof of this?"

"No... it's just a hunch but she's always usually right." He took a deep breath. "If you don't do something, I will. And I will end more than just his threats. This is SwanQueen we're talking about. If someone were to even look at the President wrong, they'd be arrested on sight and taken in for questioning. This is that important."

"You'd _murder_ him for her just because of a threat?"

"Yes. We all would. But I would be the most brutal."

"Is the child all right? Would they still kill him if something happened in the pregnancy?"

"You have no idea." He said, letting his tone darken and the Other side of him release itself only slightly to let her know just how serious he was.

The commissioner blanched. "I'll do what I can, but you'd better tell Mr. Wayne about this. He'll want to see her too."

"SwiftSpy already gave him a call." He said, relaxing slightly.

"I'll hold Nelson Nash as long as I can- but it won't last for long without solid proof." Barbra warned.

"Thank you."

"It'll only last a day- two at the most."

"That's enough."

"Tell her that I hope she'll be all right."

Nodding, the dark winged man left the precinct.

Within mere minutes after calling Bruce, Batman showed up with Ace in tow. Greeted by KnightHawk, the two were allowed in. "Bruce will be here in ten. He had to drive." Nodding in acknowledgment, the fierce Nephilim stood at the entrance, waiting for Mr. Wayne's arrival.

Seeing Bruce, she stood awkwardly to greet him. "This is a welcome surprise!" SwanQueen managed a smile as she started to waddle over, resting her hand on SharpShrike's shoulder for better balance. "Sorry I haven't visited, but they have reached the stage where even walking is difficult without looking like a human drunk..."

The old man smiled and hugged her, grateful that she was safe. "Don't trouble yourself with that. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine more or less, but I won't be able to fly again for a while." She hissed suddenly and laid a hand to her belly. "Yes, yes, I know your awake. They got me in three places at once. Twins I can handle but if there's triples I'm going to strangle my smirking mate!" She said, with the last part being thrown over her shoulder for KnightHawk's benefit.

Batman chuckled while KnightHawk's grin spread a mile long. "I'm glad you're okay." Said Batman and put a friendly reassuring hand on her arm.

"I wasn't earlier today, I almost passed out. Please sit. No Ace, I'll greet you when I'm sitting down, I can't bend over right now."

Taking the seat offered, Bruce sat down while Terry went over to KnightHawk to discuss the latest happenings. Bruce stayed silent a moment to pet his anxious canine and asked, "Triplets?"

Smiling she patted her belly. "At this time, we can't be sure how many we should be expecting. However, I don't think I'd be eating constantly otherwise. I mean at least six or seven times a day."

With a chuckle Bruce said, "That's how much you're supposed to eat in a day when pregnant."

"At three to four helpings per meal?" She asked. "The others refuse to touch the food until I'm satisfied by now."

"Oh... well you didn't say it like that. You've probably got two or three in there. Either that or a really hungry little boy."

She shot a dark look over her shoulder at her mate. "He must have been on something then..." SwanQueen muttered to Bruce while stroking Ace's head

"Or perhaps he's just extremely fertile. I'm sure being a Nephilim enhances many things about a man and woman."

"That could be, although there was nothing in the records I have about it, I suppose that could have been intended..." The brunette frowned and drummed her fingers restlessly on Ace's head. "Then again, nothing was too good for me in the eyes of the one who created me..."

"If you need anything, at all, don't hesitate to ask me. Understand?"

"I've been having a craving for olives, but they make me sick if I get the jarred ones and cheese is bad too..." SwanQueen looked sad. "I don't know why I want these things, it's rude because the others try so hard lately..."

"Pregnancy makes women crave off things. At least that's what I've been told." he smiled at her. "Perhaps naturally grown olives and cheese without the preservatives?"

"We can make our own cheese- I think- we just haven't had the time." The queen admitted.

"Alright. What else are you up to? Besides sitting around like an old man?" he smiled, amusement clear in his eyes.

"I've been reading a lot, and started to make plans for our culture... My mate is antsy because he wants a formal bond between us. He's getting more and more touchy about my association with other men."

"He'll adapt. You can only work so fast under pressure."

It doesn't help that- OW!- my Nestlings like to kick rather hard..." Pain flashed across her face and she stopped petting Ace. "Calm down in there... are you hungry again...?"

"Just imagine when they're born." he smiled.

The Queen threw Bruce a look of panic. "Now I'm scared."

"Don't be. You'll have plenty of help to take care of them."

She sighed. "You heard about what happened at the school?"

"SwiftSpy called. Panicked and came here."

"I had another confrontation with Nelson Nash... and I'm fairly certain he's following the Boss. He told me to kill my Nestlings."

"I know, I've been tracking him. Turns out, he's the Boss' son. Found out a half hour before SwiftSpy called me."

"I knew that, wanted to take him out right then to avoid all of this but the humans got squeamish on me."

"What do you think you should do?"

"I have no choice, I have to try taking them out. If I let them live, my people and I will never be truly safe." She shrugged. "The Boss was going to die anyway, my mate is insisting on it."

"What do you need me to do?" Asked Bruce, his tone sincere.

She quickly looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. "I need you to keep the Commissioner off my back Father. The Boss has to die, and that is a fact." She caressed Ace's ear. "I don't like it, but this is one reason I exist, we have to be able to do what we were designed to do without the hobbles."

"I'll find some way to make her see reason." He said. "If all else fails, I'll pull out an I O U."

"Thank you. Why haven't you ever run for mayor? The city would have cleaned up faster if you were in charge."

"I don't like politics." He smiled at her compliment.

"Maybe so, but you know how to get things done without giving others loop holes." She replied. "You know how to let people do their jobs without pulling on the reins." She frowned, clearly remembering how easily this latest problem could have been avoided if Barbara hadn't yanked the reins so hard.

"I'm too old. They would accept my if I wasn't as old as I am now."

"I'd rather have an experienced hand at the wheel than a man with more dreams than common sense. This city needs a man who loves this city enough that he knows when to be tough." She smiled softly at the elder man. "I've told you before, but I'll say it again: Don't sell yourself short. Your past experiences have given you a better view of this city than any politician could ever hope for. You were the one who stood up to do what no one else could do."

"I agree. Perhaps in time, someone we both know will take that place." He said, referring to Terry.

"He has a lot of growing up to do."

"He's coming around. He's a lot more mature than you give him credit for."

"I'll believe it when I see it father, if you ever met his girlfriend- you would understand my doubts."

"Its not him that's immature then. It's the girlfriend. Do you really think I would entrust an immature delinquent with all this?" He asked with a brow raised.

"A man is only as strong as the people he surrounds himself with. One weak link and..." She flicked her fingers out to signify an unstable base.

"Perhaps you truly do not trust my judgment." Said Bruce with a disappointed look. "It doesn't matter who he surrounds himself with. It's how he deals with them that makes him a better man. His past was rough, as was yours. You both have learned and grown from it. The only difference I see is he's willing to give you a chance to prove it."

The Nephilim Queen's mismatched eyes flashed with fury and she looked about to snap at her adopted father when the sound of a branch snapping nearby had her shooting awkwardly to her feet. Automatically snapping out her wings for balance, she sucked in air as she tried to figure out what it was.

"Nice job, stupid. Now our positions are compromised." Hissed one of the men conducting the ambush.

"Shh... I hear something..." Said the man that broke the stick and all eyes scanned the area.

Every Nephilim had turned their eyes on their Queen, startled at her sudden movement even as they stepped closer to guard her. "KnightHawk?" She hissed softly.

"I heard it too." He used military hand motions to put their army in the correct defense positions.

"Batman, get Mr. Wayne to safety, now." Her voice was too tight to be normal.

"Already on it." Batman grabbed Bruce and used his jet pack to take him outside the forest to his car. "I'll keep you posted when I can." He said and made his way back.

Meanwhile Ace was sniffing around, about to follow his Master, when all of a sudden he snarled and shot off into the forest in the opposite direction. A minute later, a man's scream of rage was heard. Hearing this, The Nephilim Queen smiled as her mate signaled his men to go after the dog. "Good boy Ace, you get a special treat, no kibble tonight." She whispered.

KnightHawk emerged with a man in a tight head lock. Throwing his down on the ground, his army dashed into the forest, taking out every man in their path.

Snapping her fingers at the captive that KnightHawk had brought her, she watched as SharpShrike and SageSparrow tied the man up before a wave of dizziness struck and forced her to sit back down before she fell, Joshua came over and rubbed her back. Managing a smile, SwanQueen spoke. "Seems they either don't like excitement or they like it a bit too much..."

"Rest. Ask questions from a sitting position." Although it sounded like an order, the look he threw her indicated that it was a suggestion.

"No need to tell me twice... It hasn't been a good day has it my little ones?" She asked rubbing her stomach. Turning her head, she looked to the guy on the ground. "Did he pass out?"

"No he's conscious." Said SwiftSpy. "Should I tie a gag on him?"

"No. KnightHawk, can you raise his head please? I can't hear him with his face planted in the dirt like that from over here."

With a small amused grin, he lifted the man into a sitting position facing the queen.

"Thank you." With a loving smile at her mate, SwanQueen took a deep breath before her eyes narrowed on the intruder. "Are you going to be nice and answer my questions? Or should I leave you in my Pairbond's capable hands?"

"Well now, that depends that depends on your questions."

"How many men are out there and why were you spying on us?" SwanQueen started with the basics.

"Enough to rival your numbers. I think you know the answer to your last question."

Her face expressionless she looked off at some point above his head. "What were your orders? Capture or kill?"

"Both." He grinned.

"Who were your targets?"

"You. To capture. The rest we were to destroy."

"Who gave the order to do which part?" Her right hand gripped the log hard at the thought of her beloved pairbond being butchered.

"Who do you think, Sweetheart?" The captured man retorted but instantly regretted it as KnightHawk snarled and struck him across the face with his talons, effectively causing claws marks to mare his features. Blood oozed down his face, dripping onto his clothes in the same spot, soaking the fabric through. With a look of hatred and cold fury towards KnightHawk, the man sneered.

Gritting her own teeth, she looked to her mate. "Get whatever else you can out of him my love, he's your prey, so if you want to kill him I won't stop you. Ladies, check on the others."

With a bow, the older and younger Nephilim did as their Queen instructed and sought after the other men.

"Joshua? Will you bring me some water please?" She kissed her son's head gently.

"Okay!" he got up and ran into the cave to retrieve a cup to put water from their community bucket into it. Moments later he returned and handed her the cup. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Your siblings are very upset." She flinched again in pain before taking the cup and draining it. "I'm sorry you had to hear all of that..."

"Its alright. I'd have killed him on the spot." The words were out and unfiltered before he had a chance to realize what he had said.

"Joshua!" SwanQueen dropped the cup as she stared at her adopted son in horror. "You are far too young to talk like that!"

"But... he was going to take you away." Joshua pouted. "They already took you once... I love you too much to let that happen. And the babies. When father isn't here I'm the man of the house... I have to make sure you and the little ones are safe."

"Fighting yes, killing no. I don't want you to grow up with blood on your hands son, that's not a light burden to carry around growing up." She answered getting to her feet again and hugging the boy with her wings since her arms wouldn't reach that far.

He leaned into the embrace, his face hidden in her soft feathers. "I'd do anything for you, mom." The way he spoke made him sound a lot older than ten years old but the love that shone in his eyes for his mother counteracted the strangeness of it.

"I know son, I know." She whispered softly drawing her wings back to steady herself. "KnightHawk, I'd like to lay down for a bit. Can you handle things here?" The Nephilim Queen looked pale from standing up again.

"Yes." He replied and patted his son on the head. "Take care of your mother." He chucked Josh under the chin and smiled, letting him know that he was proud of him for being brave even when his mother wouldn't approve of it. "I'll come check on her in an hour."

Nodding, Josh smiled back, his chest swelling with happiness of finally making his father proud of him. "I won't let anything happen to her."

SwanQueen smiled weakly at her pairbond and waddled off as Ace came back as a trot, woofing softly at KnightHawk in concern.

"She'll be alright. Josh is going to look after her. Come on, I need your help finding the rest of these scum bags."

Nodding, the black dog sniffed the ground and started to lead the way when Terry came back. "There you are boy."

"Mr. Wayne back safe?" Asked KnightHawk for the sake of his mate.

"I got him back to the car, but he ordered me to come back and help you when Ace didn't show up. Where's Ari?" Batman said, concerned when he didn't see her.

"SwanQueen to you," KnightHawk said sharply before visibly relaxing. With an apologetic tap on Batman's shoulder, he motioned him to follow. "I'm a little tense right now. She's safe."

"Well, she's carrying my future little buddies, regardless of what she says. I think you better keep her on bedrest. She's not looking good." He replied as he followed KnightHawk. "I'll thrash Nash for this..."

"You're not the only one..." KnightHawk's tone was low with threat for the red head.

"I think he was lying when he says he doesn't want her. Nash has never been rejected by a girl before." He said, punching one of the offenders who was trying to slip away now that most of his comrades were caught. "Did you happen to net the Boss?"

"From what I could see, the coward stayed back at his hideout." KnightHawk nodded at him in thanks. "I'm thinking of gathering some men and ambush him. Sooner rather than later."

Batman nodded. "Good idea, I don't think she can take too many more nasty shocks like that attack. Mind if I join in for the old man's sake?"

"Of course. Just don't get in my way. And don't tell SwanQueen. I want to be the one to tell her."

"Why bother telling her at all? Just wrap the Boss in a ribbon with a bow on it and give him to her." Batman smiled at his friendly rival. "You know if you tell her she'll get upset for not being able to do anything."

"The key to a working relationship is honesty. If I don't tell her, she'll be even more mad."

"Do you really want to take the chance that she'll try going for the throat herself? My fear would be she'd go after him and get hurt."

"I'll convince her. Don't trouble yourself with worrying about it."

"Where the Boss is concerned, I don't think 'reason' is ever around." He warned. "This is personal, not business."

"I said leave it alone, Batman." KnightHawk's voice got a little more testy. "She's no longer your burden."

"My boss cares about her, and he'll tear strips into me if he finds out she got hurt." Batman snapped back at his tone.

"Well tell him to let me do my job in protecting her. Without interference."

Grinding his teeth, Batman said nothing as he helped KnightHawk finish dragging the captive men where he wanted them.

Watching from a monitor as his last man got captured, the Boss banged his fists on the table. "Damn it all to hell!" He screamed.

"Father?" His son asked, poking his head into the room in concern.

"Every last one of them got caught." His face was red with anger.

"Someone screw up?"

"I'm not sure. I don't have sound on this. All I know is they've been caught." With a sigh he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Now sure he wasn't going to get killed, Nelson Nash eased his way into the room. "Did we are least even up the numbers a little?"

"No. Not even close."

The redhead whistled softly, impressed despite himself. "The woman who created them must be dying of laughter wherever she is."

"I don't know. Do you have any ideas? I've sent all my smart men out there and I'm sadly out of ideas."

"I would have said that the only way to capture her would be to get her alone, but that's clearly not going to happen now until she's given birth. It doesn't look like a pregant Nephilim can fly."

"Hmm..." He then looked to his son with an evil grin. "We need to get to the old man."

"Why? Unless he's close to her, it's unlikely she's going to risk loosing the monsters in her belly."

"I have a hunch."

"Even if she cares about him, it's doubtful her lover-" His mouth twisted hashly in distaste. "would let her come."

"Have faith. I want you to go out there and lead a team. I want his home quarantined then bring him here. Alive."

His mouth turned into a frown. "Who is he?"

"Mr. Bruce Wayne. He's the employer of Terry McGinnis. I believe you're familiar with him?"

"Holy. Fucking. Shit." Nelson crashed to the floor as his legs give out. "That's the richest guy in Gotham City!"

"I know." The Boss grinned. "That's why he's even more valuable to us."

"He's too old, we could kill him by accident. I'd need something more concrete than a hunch to make this worthwhile."

"You don't get to make that decision."

"I'm going to be the one getting the death penalty if the old fart croaks!" Nelson snapped, getting to his feet. "Or did you forget that?"

"Of course not, you idiot." He snapped back. "Either do as I say or get out. I don't need back talking subordinates to deal with." He turned his back, dismissing his son.

Slamming the door on his way out, the young redhead fumed. 'Fuck him! I'll wait until he croaks then take over, but I'm NOT risking my neck on a half-baked plan.' Unable to contain his anger, he stormed out of the building and headed to his car.

Moments before Nash was about to start his car, a spear went through the windshield. "Hey Nelson. Heard you might be hanging around here." Said KnightHawk. Moments later twelve other Nephilim as well as Batman landed around the hideout.

"What do you want now?" The redhead snapped, his face white as he scrambled out of his car.

"Just to have a little chat with you while they play with your dad." Replied Batman, stalking closer, allowing KnightHawk and the guys to infiltrate the base more efficiently without the disturbance of Nelson.

"What, that black winged freak mad because there are people who won't treat them like gods?"

KnightHawk didn't pause to the bait, instead he just kept walking. "Take care of him Batman."

"Don't worry about this guy, I've got him under control." Batman replied. He didn't have to turn around and watch them go in, he heard them. From their foot steps racing inside, taking out every man in their wake, to their wings flapping to raise them into the air.

Nelson scoffed at the masked man. "So, what? Even the mighty Batman bows to that race of misbegotten monsters?"

"What's it to you, Nelson? Why go through all the trouble of siding with your evil dad when the Nephilim have no interest in you, whatsoever."

"Because none of them should exist! They are freaks that twisted splicing for their own ends. Do you think they are actually human? They'll turn on us whenever they've gotten what they want!"

"You don't know that. You're nothing but an ignorant brat."

"There's nothing special about them, cut off their wings and they'll be nothing but normal humans."

"It'll kill them." Batman was close enough to Nelson that if he wanted, he could grab the son of a bitch and lay into him. "If you cared even a midge for Arianna, you would back down now."

"It's that bitch's fault for not knowing her place and thinking she's better than everyone else. I'll make her pay for looking down her nose at us!" He snarled. "She'll beg to die when we are done with her. I'd love to see her crawl in the dirt..."

Tensing, Batman had enough of trying to negotiate. For this one time, he let his emotions take over his better judgment. Faster than Nelson could have ever comprehended, Batman used an upper cut to his chin before his other fist struck him square in the jaw. For a second, he thought about relenting until he remembered Nelson's words and kneed him in the groin.

Falling against the hood of his car, Nelson Nash spat out a mouthful of blood and teeth. "We will slaughter the monsters growing in her belly and laugh as she wails curses to the devil who birthed her. Then we'll teach her how to behave properly."

With a one last punch to his temple, he put everything into it. A cry of anger escaped his mouth before he could control it.

Even out cold, Nelson had a twisted smile of sadistic pleasure on his face. It gave the appearance that he was already dreaming of ways to torture the Nephilim Queen.

Back in the mansion, KnighHawk and three of the twelve men he brought followed him into the Boss' chamber that Tori had described to him. Smashing the door open, he spotted the Boss at his desk, surrounded by five of his own men, each pointing a gun at him and his people.

KnightHawk snarled at his prey, the sound seemingly filling the room, but did not speak as he eyed the room with icy blue eyes.

"Welcome, Chaos." The man at the desk grinned from behind his guards.

"My name is KnightHawk you cowardly piece of worm shit." The Nephilim Queen's mate took a single step into the room.

The Boss grinned as he watched the black winged Nephilim and his three men infiltrate his research lab. "Is that any way to treat your host?"

"I owe you nothing all things considered."

"To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" He smiled.

"I'm going to kill you for what you did to my pairbond."

"What are you waiting for?" He opened his arms, signalling open fire to his men. Shots wrung throughout the room, the Boss laughing maniacally.

It seemed as though the Nephilim were being protected by a higher power, as they evaded the gunfire and took out the guards with ease. The look KnightHawk gave the Boss was not human with it's anger. "That it maggot?"

With a look of pure hatred, the Boss held up a detonator. One that even his own men didn't know about if their looks of panic and surprise was anything to go by. "You've got half your race here. One push of a button and you all, including myself, go bye bye. No father for the abominations, no husband, no nothing."

KnightHawk folded his wings and looked at the warriors around him in a silent question, readjusting their hold on the humans, they nodded solemnly before most of them left the room until the two men were alone. "You will be dead too, and with you dead our future will be safe. Go ahead and push it. It will save me from having my hands coated in your filthy disgusting blood." KnightHawk answered coldly, his gaze never wavering.

With a cruel smile, the Boss leaned back in his chair. "What you don't know is, once I blow this place up, your precious hideout, along with everyone you love, will be blown up to. You see, I had a feeling one of you might try and attack me now that I'm at my weakest security. I programmed my men's armor to go off the very same moment I push this button. You, me, your wife and your entire home will be destroyed."

"To steal a line from my beloved: 'Your a bigger liar than Nelson, who will never have wings if every other male on the planet dropped dead!'"

"I don't want her wings!" The Boss hissed. "I want her organs!"

"Why? You won't learn anything."

"That's for me to know, and you never to find out."

"Now I know why my Pairbond won't hand you over to the cops. I thought she was letting her temper got the best of her, we already have your son by the way."

"Good, I hope he gives you as much trouble as he gave me!" He laughed like he was loosing his sanity by the minute.

"Actually, he was very easy. but my mate wants him alive. You on the other hand, can be either dead or alive as long as I bring your head in a pickle jar." Then the Nephilim warrior frowned. "On second thought, I'll use a bucket, save me from cutting your head in half to make it fit."

"What are you waiting for, boy?" he asked, spreading his arms. "Come and get me!"

"Why rush? I have all night." He sounded bored.

"The more you procrastinate, the faster my secret weapon is going to get to your Pairbond." he grin was genuine, masking nothing but the sense that he knew something Chaos didn't.

KnightHawk folded his wings. "Why did you target her?" he asked, seemingly ignoring the Boss.

"That's none of your business, now is it?" he stood and leaned over his desk. "I know your mind tricks, bird brain. I invented them, you can't fool me."

Only now did KnightHawk start walking towards the desk, his powerful steps held an inhuman grace. "Even if you somehow managed to make more of us for your own purposes, they would never obey you." He said calmly.

His look was purely sadistic. "That's not my plan either."

"Then what is it, since we are both going to die, does it matter if you tell me?"

"Nelson knows and if he has any sense, he'll keep it to himself because it's a family secret starting now." he made the zipping his lip motions and smiled.

"Nelson will squeal before the end of the night, so I'm not worried." He shrugged, stepping toward his side of the desk.

The grin that was sent his way said otherwise. "I;m glad you underestimate him. It will make his job a lot easier."

Now KnightHawk smirked knowingly. "Believe me, you didn't see him wet himself at the mall when she spread her wings and flew. My mate was never interested in your trashy son. She told me he smelled bad."

"The way you're getting defensive, I'd say there was a point in time you thought you actually had some competition."

"That was just her cover, but I'm the one she chose to mate with."

"Either way it makes no difference to me. Are you going to kill me or not because I have a dentist appointment in a half hour that I'd really rather not miss so if we're done here, you're dismissed."

For an answer, KnightHawk roared with anger and lunged. His fist connected with the Boss' cheek, causing the older man's face to plummet to the side. The younger winged man ripped the desk away. The bang of it slamming against the wall gave the Boss some idea that KnightHawk was furious. If the punch wasn't enough, that is.

Managing to stand upright even with blood pouring from his mouth, the Boss grinned and tossed the detonator away. "Come on!" he urged and got into a summo stance.

KnightHawk lunged again, this time his talons out and aiming for the jugular. The Boss, however, was faster this time, and narrowly missed the sharp claws. Bending low at the knees, the older man was able to wrap his arms around the younger man and lift him up off the ground only to slam him on the floor on his back.

With a grunt of pain, the black winged man didn't stay dormant for long. Moving quickly, KnightHawk slashed the other side of his face that was unmarred and punched his jugular. Eyes wide and hands going to his throat, the boss let his guard down and was easily kicked off the younger man. With him distracted by not being able to breathe for a moment, KnightHawk got to his feet and kick him hard in between his legs, making him double over in agony. KnightHawk then grabbed him by the throat and squeezed, making the other man punch KnightHawk in the face and ribs but the younger man felt nothing. This man was going to die, right here, right now. "This is for my Pairbond." at the realization that he was going to die, the man went limb, accepting his fate. A knowing grin spread across his bloody face. KnightHawk scoffed at him and delivered the final blow to his temple, effectively knocking him out before the grip on the Boss' neck loosened enough for him to slice his talons into his neck and pull. He strategically cut through the pulse on his neck, causing blood to spurt everywhere. Letting the man go, KnightHawk turned around in the lab.

His Other had had enough of being restrained and dormant. It was time to destroy.

For reasons the furious man didn't care about, there was a container of gasoline in the far corner. He poured the entire thing over the Boss' body and stood there after, realizing he had no way to light it. Looking around, KnightHawk grinned as he saw the lights over head. Grabbing a coaster from the Boss' desk, he whipped it into the light in the ceiling and watched the light blow out with sparks flying everywhere. One fell on the Boss and the body lit perfectly.

Turning his back on the lab, he left. His Other was finally becoming dormant again as he exited to find Batman outside alone.

"I've got a tracking device on him. He won't go anywhere without Bruce knowing." he then took in all the blood. "That's why I didn't go in. I don't want to know what you did."

"It doesn't matter. It's done now. Lets go. I'm going to need a ride back to the hideout." he said and winced when he shifted his wing. Something happened to his left wing when the Boss slammed him on the floor.

Not saying a word, Batman got in and turned the other cheek when he saw smoke coming from the building. In silence, they drove back to headquarters. Batman knowing what happened but refusing to acknowledge it because it was too late. Nothing he did or said now would change the past.


	25. Aftermath's epilogue

Author's note: Sorry for the long wait everyone! The end is here. Thanks to Inu-midoriko for always being there on this crazy wild ride. If you don't want the story to end here, then by all means, let us know! Enjoy the read and please tell us what you think.

* * *

Groggy from sleep, the Nephilim queen rubbed the grit out of her eyes. She knew that she was not alone. "Everything all right?" she called softly, in case they were sleeping.

With heavy breathing, KnightHawk stood there with blood and bruises all over his body. Some his, most the boss'.

SwanQueen screamed at the sight of her mate and awkwardly tried to scramble to her feet.

"I'm okay... really." He said in a soft tone. "Most of it isn't mine."

Her face was still white as she finally managed to heave herself to a standing position. "By Earth and Sky! What happened?"

"I went after the Boss. I killed him. For you. You no longer need to worry about him, my love."

Her hand shook as she reached out to touch his cheek, her fingers stopping a breath away. "Are you hurt? It looks like you lost."

He smiled fondly at her. "I won. I made sure of that."

"Nash?" She asked, slowly starting to regain color in her face.

"Got away. Batman's taking care of it."

"At least the older one is dead... Nash is all bark and no bite..." She sounded as though she was trying to convince herself as well as her pairbond of this. However, the restless protective hand over her unborn Nestlings said she didn't believe her own words.

"Harm will never come to you, my Pairbond." His voice became fierce. "Not the man's corpse bleeding to death and burning alive as we speak, or his little runt."

She smiled tiredly at KnightHawk. "I wasn't doubting you my love."

"I know." He said. "Are you angry? That it wasn't you to end his life?"

"I just wish... I could have asked him why..." She bowed her head. "But I'm glad you did it."

"He was insane, SwanQueen," he said and sighed. "His mind was far too gone to have gotten a proper answer out of him."

"I know you are right... It's just hard not to know why."

"Perhaps it's better not to know." He said. "Would it be too much to ask you to help me get cleaned up? I'm starting to really feel the injuries now. Something also happened to my wing." He tried to move it and winced.

"Of course, I can't stand for too long though sweetheart."

"You won't be. I'm going to collapse in about ten seconds." he replied and made his way to the makeshift bathroom area where there were buckets of fresh water for them to get cleaned up if they couldn't make it to the river.

Sitting on the shower bench, she slid a bucket of water next to her and waited for her mate. "At least you'll get some sleep tonight."

"Not likely." he said softly. "Not with my wing like this." he replied, not even bothering to mention that the Boss' face was burned into his mind like an image sear onto a stone wall.

SwanQueen gently washed his back, careful of his wings. "Do you regret it?" She asked softly.

"No. I would do it again."

She worked in silence for about fifteen minutes, making sure that his back was clean before lightly probing his wing. "I don't think it's broken." His mate said finally.

He exhaled in relief. "Thank the Skies." he said. "That puts my mind at so much ease."

"If it was broken, you wouldn't have been able to fly. You sprained it pretty good though, and it's probably bruised..."

"I didn't fly. It was too painful. I had to get Batman to drop me off."

"I'm no expert, but I think alternating hot and cold packs should do the trick."

"Okay." he washed his blood stained hands and torso before kissing his Pairbond on the cheek. "Thank you."

She smiled back, although her tired eyes danced in amusement. "You're welcome my love."

Barbara's cold eyes narrowed on Nash as his cell door locked closed. "May God have mercy on your soul, Nelson Nash."

The teen said nothing, allowing the aging woman to leave the prison and make her way back to the station. When she got there, she wasn't at all surprised to see Bruce Wayne waiting for her. "Good evening, Mr. Wayne." she greeted and sat down behind her desk, permitting Bruce to do the same on the other side of her desk.

"Hello Barbara." He smiled. "How's your new... guest settling in?"

"He's across Gotham city at the prison. He'll be doing a hell of a lot of time. Twenty-five years."

Bruce sighed. "That might not be good enough."

"It's all I can do. He hasn't killed anyone."

"Yet. He will though, although he might not get the chance to go after her again."

"What happened to his father? No one has yet offered me an explanation."

Bruce looked Barbara straight in the eyes. "The Boss is no longer a concern to anyone." It was impossible to tell what the original Batman was feeling as his hands tightened on the cane under his hands. "He's dead Barbara."

"What? How? When?" she asked, standing from her seat.

"They were attacked, SwanQueen did not take it well and nearly passed out, KnightHawk snapped. He took most of their soldiers and returned the favor."

"I told them not to murder anyone!" he made a sound of frustration and stepped out away from her desk. "How am I to trust them now?"

"At this point, I don't know if she miscarried, but this was not by her orders." Bruce frowned. "There will be a great many more of them when they start breeding in earnest."

"I don't trust KnightHawk. He's like a ticking time bomb."

"Males are more aggressive than the females. It's in their genetics." Bruce sighed and frowned. "Truth be told. I don't believe he has any loyalties _except_ to SwanQueen."

"So what, you think I should just let him roam around and kill anyone he thinks might be a threat to his wife? There are reasons we have protocol and rules!"

"They were attacked first. I was there when it happened. If Ace hadn't have been there we all would have been dead."

"That's no excuse and you know it, Bruce." Her eyes alight with defiance as she spoke.

"No, it's not. However, they didn't kill anyone else. The bodyguards are still alive."

"KnightHawk killed someone. That's a concern for my city."

Bruce nodded calmly. "You'll have to visit them, SwanQueen can't fly anymore."

"Believe me, I will."

A few days later, the Queen had recovered enough that she could join the rest of the flock in the common area. Although they made sure that her seats were well padded and that there was always someone nearby in case of trouble. Currently she was bent over a laminated map of the city, murmuring to herself as she made notes on a pad nearby. Not all the Nephilim were there, a group of them had gone to the Narrows at dawn to take notes and start the housekeeping. KnightHawk was bathing while Joshua was visiting with the other human children.

"Knock, Knock." was sounded at the entrance to the cave. Barbara stood, alone, in all her aging glory. "Hope I'm not interrupting."

The Queen's head snapped up. "Barbara! Hello! I didn't hear you outside." Her tone was warm with greeting and she awkwardly turned in her chair.

The older woman smiled and went inside. "That's all right. You guys did pretty well for yourselves." she commented, looking around the cave. "How are you doing?"

"It's been touch and go. I can't fly, and I can barely walk. I was spotting until yesterday, and now _nobody_ wants me on my feet, so I tend to get carried a lot."

"Must be nice to be carried places." she said, taking a seat beside the Queen.

"It would, except I'm heavy- no matter how much the males tell me otherwise." She frowned down at her map. "I'll also be happy when I can stop eating six times a day at two to three helpings a meal!"

"No one said pregnancy was easy." she laughed before she got serious. "I heard about the Boss. How's KnightHawk?"

"He won't be flying for a while. His wing is hurt pretty badly, even though he won't admit it to me. I've asked Moria to come see us for a second opinion."

"Right... Listen, about KnightHawk..." she paused, no longer knowing how she wanted to ask this particular question. "Without causing any offence, would you say he's stable?"

"I would trust him with my life and with the lives of the flock." SwanQueen frowned. "I wouldn't have made him a Nephilim if I thought something was wrong."

"I understand that," she said softly. "Forgive me but, he murdered someone, under my jurisdiction, knowing that I wanted the man dealt with in a specific way. I know he tried an ambush, but that doesn't not cause grounds for murderous intent."

She nodded. "It had already been done when I recovered, he nearly made me pass out again. Still, I will let him speak for himself. He will return soon, I finally pried him off me this morning to bathe properly in the river."

"Alright. While I'm waiting, do you mind if I explore a little bit? I haven't been in here since I was a little girl." she said, referring to the forest.

"Feel free. the forest isn't dangerous now." She frowned at the map again. "... Now where should this go...?"

Looking over her shoulder, Barbara asked what she was talking about.

"I'm trying to decide where exactly the wall around Sanctuary should go."

"Well, if this is Sanctuary," said Barbara, indicating the section on the map blue printed. "Then the wall should go all the way around and stop here to allow for a gate. It would allow you to know who comes and goes and could potentially offer us the same courtesy."

Focusing on the map through narrowed eyes, she slowly nodded and made a note of it. "I also need to speak to the mayor about making the place a no car zone. I don't want humans going over the wall..."

Make it higher than the cars. They can only go so far up. You guys are airborne creatures. Why stop your home low to the ground when you can expand it to the skies?"

SwanQueen smiled. "I didn't wish to seem rude."

"Not at all." she smiled. "It's your home now. By agreement and you earned it. Do what you want with it."

"Home..." She tasted the word with a smile. "I love that word."

"SwanQueen, I brought you something you might like." KnightHawk came through the cave entrance, barring baked fish. He froze in his tracks when he spotted Barbara. "Good day." he said.

"You also." she replied, her tone changing completely when she addressed him.

The Nephilim Queen's mismatched eyes sharpened as the smell filled the air and she cleared the table before extending her hand for the gift. "You eat too?" She managed to ask her pairbond.

"No honey, it's all yours."

Satisfied, his beloved dug into her meal, ignoring the feeling of his hand soothingly stroking her hair as a reminder to chew.

"You wanted to look at the forest?" he asked her, his fond smile for his mate fading when he looked back at Barbara.

"If you wouldn't mind." Barbara said stiffly. "Did you bring a second helping for her? I'd prefer not to be interrupted during the tour."

"There's more in the bag." he said not only to Barbara, but also to his feasting mate. "Shall we?" he asked, and led her out of the cave and into the forest.

When they got far enough for there to have at least the illusion of privacy, Barbara spun around to face KnightHawk. "You know why I'm here?"

"Yes." he replied and squared his shoulders. "I had no choice. His next move was to kill us all."

"I told you repeatedly I wanted him alive!"

"He gave me no choice." he replied calmly.

"You could have overpowered him, but you chose to kill him instead. I should arrest you."

"We both know you won't." he replied. "Whether you like it or not, the Boss is dead. He had a detonator and was going to blow up everyone here. Tell me you wouldn't do the same if your husband's life was on the line."

"We have rules for a reason!" Barbara snapped. "How are we humans supposed to trust you if the lot of you always keep shoving our society's laws aside!"

"You need to understand that we are our own society with our own laws. If anyone dares to cross them then that's their business but they better be prepared for the consequences. We have no problem being your ally. But you have to understand where we're coming from. I..." he took a deep breath and clenched his hands. "am sorry, I did not consult you on my actions before I did them. I don't regret it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Barbara blinked at this, and comprehension dawned. "Is that the real reason you are going to put a wall around Sanctuary?"

"Yes."

"How long have you known that you can't live among us, only next to us?"

"A while. Long enough to know that no matter what, we're too different a race to coexist. Which is why we're building out own city, just outside Gotham."

"Why do you think that is? Does it happen the moment you've given up your humanity?"

"No. It happens over time, through certain events that make it all too clear just how different we are. I'm not saying we're turning our backs our alliance. It just means, we need our space to live, and you need yours."

Barbara sighed. "So once Sanctuary is built, the Nephilim won't be seen in Gotham?"

"Of course we will. We've made you a promise and we intend to keep it. But we can't live there."

Barbara nodded. "How long until she gives birth?"

"A couple months now. Maybe less. You see how big she is. There's no way she'll be able to carry them for much longer."

"Them?"

"We believe there's two. Twins." he smiled, fatherly pride swelling in his chest.

"How can you be sure of that? it might be more." Barbara smiled at the father-to-be.

"There's really no way to tell. The more the merrier."

Barbra suddenly frowned as a thought occurred to her. "Do you think your people will always carry multiples?"

"I don't know. We're the first couple to ever reproduce. It's possible."

She sighed. "The mayor will want to know when she gives birth."

"We'll send someone to inform you when it happens."

The Commissioner's face grew serious as they walked. "KnightHawk, the Boss was a threat, but in the future..."

"I won't touch them without you knowing first."

She nodded. "And no more acting on your own when your Queen isn't conscious. Next time it might be her paying for the mistakes you and yours make."

"Yes, ma'am." he addressed her like he did out of respect because she hadn't come here to threaten him and his own, she came here because she was concerned for him and SwanQueen's wellbeing. "Thank you, Commissioner."

Two months later, with Sanctuary finally complete, KnightHawk, Bruce, Terry, Barbra and the Mayor sat outside the doctor's office. Each time the Queen screeched behind the doors, they flinched. It was a strain on KnightHawk to have to hear her and not be able to comfort her through her pain.

After the third scream faded away, SageSparrow emerged exhausted but smiling. "KnightHawk, our Queen is going to throttle you when she gets out of bed." Then she beamed. "Princesses, all three of them. I hope you didn't want any sleep for the rest of the year."

"Three?" they all said in union. All of them in shock, save for KnightHawk, he was overjoyed. "When can I see them?"

"You may see them now, she's a bit tired though, so don't be surprised if she drifts off."

"Okay." he said and could barely contain how excited he was as he went inside. He saw her and their three little girls in her arms. "Hey, SwanQueen." he said softly. Bending down, he kissed each one of them on the forehead. "They're beautiful."

She managed a tired smile. "The third played a trick on us all my love."

"Yes, but I'm so happy she's here."

"Did you hope for a son dear heart?"

"I was hoping for a healthy baby and we ended up with three. Honey, boy, girl, it didn't matter. Besides, we have Joshua."

She chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure." His Queen gazed down at her daughters fondly. "They are Nephilim, their wings will grow."

"Yeah..." he gently touched their backs. "Is daddy allowed to hold one?"

"Yes my pairbond, I would like that. We should let the guests in too before I fall asleep."

He took the one in the middle of her and cradled her carefully in his arms before going to the door and opening it for the guests to come in. "Come see her before she falls asleep."

The mayor tiptoed in to avoid waking the Nestlings. "Wow."

Terry grinned as his cousin. "Triplets? No wonder you ate everything in sight!"

Bruce went to her other side and kissed her forehead. "You did good." he said and rested a very gentle hand on the little girl's backs.

"Thank you... Father." She whispered, not caring who would hear. "Sorry we kept you waiting."

"Don't be sorry. You did what you had to do to bring these girls into this world."

Meanwhile, everyone else's mouths had dropped open as the Nephilim Queen fell asleep, and they all said a single word to the older man. "Father?"

"Adoptively, speaking." he replied. "But yes, she's my daughter."

Terry looked like a fish. "Why'd you keep that little fact to yourself old man?"

He shrugged. "It's like how I've told no one, you're my biological son."

The mayor looked like he was going to have a heart attack, with Barbara not far behind him. "If he's your son, and she's your daughter- who gets everything when you die?" He managed to wheeze out.

"It's split. Right down the middle." he replied.

Barbara was trying not to choke. "Bruce..." She started to say, thinking about his 'other' life.

KnightHawk turned from one man to the other. "Really? By the Skies, Mr. Wayne, you wasted no time in your prime days did you?" he asked with a teasing grin, causing Terry to swat him lightly over his head since he was holding one of the baby girls.

"He would have given you a challenge if he were our age won't you old man?" Terry grinned, tenderly picking up the eldest daughter, who yawned and tried to kick him.

Bruce chuckled. "Don't be a smart ass. Now hold that girl properly before she kicks herself out of your arms."

Terry complied with a grunt. "I don't think she likes me."

"You'll grow on her. You've wormed your way back here, haven't you." said KnightHawk. "Don't sweat it."

Barbara took the squirming baby from Terry. "Who's the heir?"

"We don't know yet. I'm thinking Joshua. He would make a great leader. We couldn't choose just one out of the three here. They could try ruling together but that would add so many complications that could and should be avoided by just having our eldest child rule when we're gone." Said KnightHawk and kissed the girl's cheek in his arms.

The Mayor chuckled. "I think the Queen has something in mind."

"We'll soon make a decision. It's still early yet." he replied and kissed the lips of his sleeping queen. "I love you." he didn't care everyone were there to witness it. He loved her and right now, he wanted to tell the world.

His queen shifted sleepily, but her lips curved into a smile as the daughter in her mate's arms started to fuss, alerting the others. Opening her green eye, she unbuttoned her top with one hand and gently guided the child still laying on her belly with the other.

KnightHawk put the daughter he was holding on her stomach, as indicated by his mate and took a small step back.

Two of the three were now getting fed as she opened her other eye. Looking for their third Nestling and motioning for Barbara to come closer so she could stroke her daughter's head. "Shh... Shh... your turn is coming."

"We should leave now. Give them some time together." said Bruce. "I'm proud of you, my daughter." he bid his farewell and only when every last one of them had said their goodbye to the new parents, did Bruce leave and close the door behind him.

The mayor looked deep in thought as he stepped onto the brick pathways that served as roads in Sanctuary. "They've really transformed this place. It truly is a different world here isn't it?"

"Yes," said Barbara, falling into step beside him. "It's hard to believe this place used to be infested with thugs."

"Looking around, it makes you see why they don't want people coming and going as they please." Terry added quietly, watching a family as they tended their personal gardens.

"Yeah... its a kind of paradise. Perhaps we can have Gotham look like this." Bruce suggested to the Mayor. "It wouldn't be too hard. I mean sure we still have assholes, but who doesn't. It could work."

"It would involved a major shift in lifestyle. I think that we are perhaps too attached to our comforts and technology."

"Don't say that," said Barbara. "You've already given up before we've even started."

"I think we would need to know more about how they came up with this before we start anything." The Mayor pointed out as they stopped to let a group of children pass by who were walking a small group of sheep.

"This will only work if you want this as well." the Commissioner replied. "But you're right. It takes planning."

"They have an advantage, right now there aren't many people. There have been complaints that we gave them too much space considering how crowded Gotham is."

Staying silent, Barbara and Bruce walked to the entrance of the gates and bid the Mayor goodbye.

Terry frowned at Bruce. "Any truth to that?"

"Not that I've heard. We have a lazy mayor, Terry."

Terry snickered in agreement. "Don't let my sister hear you say that."

"Yeah well he could use a fire under his ass."

"She might just decide to nip it in the bud and run herself."

"I know most won't object to it." said Barbara with an easy smile. "I have to go. I have a city to look after."

Terry closed the door after Bruce before rounding the car to get in the driver's seat. "Are you worried about Nelson Nash?"

"Not right now. When it comes closer to his bail time, I'll be dead. But I fear for you and SwanQueen."

"If KnightHawk has his way, the day Nash gets out will also be the day he dies." Terry confided.

"He won't though. The most he can do is keep a very close eye on him and keep his family heavily guarded."

Terry sighed. "What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall when Nash hears about the triplets."

Sure enough, a few days later it was in the news in big letters. "Nephilim Queen gives birth- Three beautiful girls!" There was no picture, and the article itself was mostly recounting about the rise of the Nephilim and the new city of Sanctuary. There was also speculation about whether or not the Nephilim royal family would be present at Gotham's police ball. '_The debts we owe the Nephilim for helping to make the streets of Gotham safe again will not be forgotten._' Barbara Gordon quoted. '_If they attend, we will welcome them._' The mayor added.

Nelson crumpled his paper and threw it at the other side of the cell. When he got out, there would be hell to pay on the Nephilim family. He grinned to himself. Oh yes. Those little girls were not safe from his wrath. Not when he had to pay back KnightHawk for the death of his father. Curling into a ball, he cradled himself like he did most nights. Just wait, he thought. You'll wish I was never born.

A pair of guards walking by were talking quietly. "Triplets! Can you believe it? Talk about fertility!" He snickered. "There's going to be a full household in that home. Think they'll show at the ball Marvin?"

"I don't know. Maybe. If they do, I don't think they'll bring the babies. Not when they're still so young."

"True, it seems like they'd be the kind that would only allow the adults out of the city." He sounded disappointed.

"Safety before publicity." he reminded his partner.

"Any word about the rumor that there are people who wish to live in their city under their rule?"

"Naw, Commish is keeping that one under lock and key until she gets a firm answer."

The main guard sighed. "That Queen of theirs is a careful one isn't she?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't expect any less from such a great leader." he replied. Nelson sat in his corner, listening to their conversation and snorted. They had no idea just how wrong they were.

Sitting on top the edge of the wall, KnightHawk, SwanQueen, Joshua and their three gorgeous girls watched the sun set peacefully. "So Josh, you going to take the Gift?" asked KnightHawk after a few moments of silence.

Taking her eyes off the skies, she smiled at the human boy the Queen considered her son. "No pressure sweetheart." She said softly.

"I want it." the little boy said. "I want to be like everyone else."

SwanQueen reached out to touch Joshua's shoulder. "There's no hurry love."

"When can I turn, mother?" he asked, not sure if there was a set age or not.

"When you are sixteen darling. I want to make sure your body can handle the change." She shifted the Nestling cradled to her chest, hiding a shiver from the twilight air. "Your time will come my son."

"What if they won't like me?" he asked with a slight frown. "What if they don't see my wings and think I'm just like all the other humans? What if they can never love me because I'm not really yours?"

"Because I will tell your sisters to treat you as though you were one of us. They will know that I've given you my word."

He fell silent and held his baby sister tighter. "I hope so."

"With as much love as you'll show them, I doubt they'll treat you any differently Joshua." His mother said gently.

He smiled at his mother. "Thank you... this is nice." he said relaxed between both his Nephilim parents.

"KnightHawk, do you think this wall is high enough?" She asked after several minutes of silence.

"No. I'd like it higher." he replied. "Maybe one day, if our race gets as big as we plan." he smiled at her. "For now, this is good."

The Queen sighed. "I was beginning to believe that a thicker gate would be needed considering the human reporters that were pounding on it."

"They'll go away eventually. We're the latest news and we're so different. It'll die, don't worry."

"Still... I wonder how we should deal with the- refugees?- that want to move here." Her mismatched eyes watched the moon as it rose. "Critics will say we are playing favorites since our city doesn't let our neighbors in freely."

"We'll get critics no matter what we do." he reached over Joshua to put a hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying, you're making SoftDove squirm in my arms." he joked.

She looked over at the girl sleeping in his arms. "She looks like she's sleeping like a rock to me."

He looked down at his daughter in his arms and then back at his Pairbond. "She's only asleep now because you looked at her. She's trying to get me into trouble." the mischievous glint in his gaze said he was joking.

SwanQueen snickered then turned her head towards the sound of beating wings. SharpShrike hovered into view and smiled at the royal family. "It's cold out, you haven't recovered your stamina yet My Lady, please come back inside." For someone who had said they hated children, the elder Nephilim appeared very fond of the Queen's Nestlings.

With a smile, she transferred the Nestling in her arms to her assistant before carefully getting to her feet. "Yes it is." SwanQueen agreed quietly.

"Have a peaceful sleep, my love. The war is finally over." KnightHawk said to his mate with a look full of love.

She shook her head. "We have won the battle, but the war is yet to come my darling Pairbond." His queen replied before taking off to fly home, knowing that her family would follow when they were ready.


End file.
